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THE     CATHOLIC 


THE     CATHOLIC. 


LETTERS 


ADDRESSED   BY 


A  JURIST  TO  A  YOUNG  KINSMAN 


PROPOSING  TO  JOIN  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROilE. 


BT 

E.    H.    DERBY, 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  P.  JEWETT  AND   COSEPANY. 

CLEVELAND,   OHIO  : 

jev\t;tt,  proctor,  and  wortuingtox. 

KBW  TOBK  :   SHELDON",  BLAKEMAN  ASD  COMPANT. 

185G. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856,  by 

JOHN  P.  JEWETT  AND  COMPANY, 

In  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


CAMBRIDGE : 

ALLEN    ASD    FARNHAM,    8TERE0TTPEE8    AJfD    PEINTEBS. 


CONTEKTS. 


Introduction Page  xi 

LETTER  I. 

Proposal  to  join  the  Church  of  Eome. — Propositions  advanced. — 
Answered.  —  Catholicism  does  not  pervade  the  World.  —  There  were 
Dissenters  before  the  time  of  Luther.  —  Citations  from  St.  Angus- 
tine.  —  St.  Paul  and  Lingard's  History  of  England.  —  Visit  of  St. 
Austin,  —  Transubstantiation. — Indulgences  and  Purgatory  mod- 
ern Doctrines 1 

LETTER  IL 

Conferences  with  Roman  Catholic  Bishop.  — Depression  of  Countries 
where  Church  of  Rome  is  established. — Progress  of  Holland. — 
England  and  the  United  States.  —  The  true  Design  of  Christianity 
was  to  refine,  not  debase  the  World.  —  The  Church  of  Rome  not 
founded  on  Scripture.  —  Key  of  St.  Peter  the  Word  of  God.  — St. 
Paul  and  not  St.  Peter  the  principal  Apostle  and  Founder  of  the 
Church 7 

LETTER  m. 

St.  Paul  founded  the  Churches  at  Ephesus,  Smyrna,  and  Rome. — 
Rome   the   Metropolis.  —  Her  Bishops,  like  the  Roman  Catholic 
Bisliop  of  New  York,  disposed  to  outrank  their  Fellows.  —  Cita- 
tions from  Irena!us,  TertuUian,  and  St.  Jerome. — Proof  that  the 
Bishop  of  Rome,  for  several  Centuries,  had  no  Supremacy.  —  Pope 
Liberius  sentenced  as  a  Heretic.  —  Ancient  Patriarchships.  —  Pope 
Gregory  refuses   the  Title   of  Universal  Bishop.  —  The  Usurper 
Phocas  confers  it  on  Boniface        .        .        .        .        .        .        15 

A*  (V) 


VI  CONTENTS. 


LETTER  IV. 

The  Church  of  Rome  now  withholds  the  Bible  from  the  People,  but 
the  Apostles  and  Ancient  Fathers,  St.  Paul,  St.  Augustine,  St. 
Jerome,  St.  Ambrose,  Irenseus,  Tertullian,  Justin  Martyr,  Origen, 
and  Chrysostom,  all  leading  Authorities  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
taught  the  People  to  read  and  study  the  Scriptures        .        .        21 

LETTER  V.' 

The  Mass  of  modem  Origin.  —  Pope  Gelasius  pronounced  the  divis- 
ion of  the  Wine  from  the  Bread  a  Sacrilege.  —  The  Greek  Church 
which  separated  from  the  Church  of  Rome  on  the  question  of  Easter 
administers  both  Bread  and  Wine  to  the  People. —  St.  Augustine, 
Tertullian,  and  Pope  Leo,  deny  the  Real  Presence.  —  St.  Augustine 
denies  tlie  existence  of  Purgatory 29 

LETTER  VL 

Resume  of  preceding  Letter.  —  Supremacy  and  Infallibility  of  ,the 
Pope.  —  Oath  of  Obedience  to  the  Pope  required  of  Converts  to  the 
Church  of  Rome,  when  baptized.  —  Civil  and  Spiritual  Sword.  — 
Power  to  depose  Monarchs  and  absolve  Subjects  claimed  for  the 
Pope,  and  exercised  in  the  case  of  Queen  Elizabeth. — Adoration 
of  the  Pope. — Equality  of  Bishops  in  the  Fourth  Century.  —  Pre- 
dictions of  St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter.  —  Purgatory     ...        36 

LETTER  VIL 

Resume  of  preceding  Letter.  —  Adoration  of  the  Virgin  Mary. — 
AVorship  of  Statues  and  Images.  —  Exclusion  of  Pictures  from  An- 
cient Cimrches.  —  Celibacy  of  the  Clergy.  —  St.  Peter  a  married 
Man.  —  St.  Chrysostom  commends  the  marriage  of  the  Clergy.  — 
The  Greek  Church,  once  united  with  the  Church  of  Rome,  requires 
tlie  Clergy  to  maiTy.  —  St.  Paul  predicts  "  that  seducing  Spirits 
shall  forbid  to  marry  and  command  Men  to  abstain  from  Meats  " 

44 

LETTER  VIIL 

Progress  of  Christianity  in  its  early  Stages.  —  Overthrows  the  Pa- 
ganism of  Greece  and  Rome,  a  State  Religion  associated  with 
I'oetry  and  Ilistorj-.  —  TertuUian's  Picture  of  Christianity,  a.  d. 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

198.  —  Ancient  Dioceses.  —  Number  in  Africa  and  Asia.  —  Seces- 
sion of  Rome  from  the  Greek  Chui'ch.  —  Rise  of  Mahomet.  —  De- 
cline of  Christianity  in  Asia  and  Africa.  —  Diffusion  of  the  Protes- 
tant Faith  since  the  Reformation 53 

LETTER  IX. 

The  Church  of  Rome  not  Apostolic.  —  Temporal  Power  of  the  Church 
of  Rome.  —  The  New  Testament  forbids  a  Bishop  to  engage  in  secu- 
lar Affairs.  —  The  Apostolic  Canons  prohibit  the  Clergy  from  hold- 
ing temporal  Offices.  —  Monasteries  not  sanctioned  by  Scripture,  — 
Monks  condemned  by  St.  Augustine.  —  Auricular  Confession  not 
founded  on  Holy  Writ.  —  No  Oath  required  at  Baptism  in  the  Apos- 
tolic Church.  —  Want  of  Unity  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  —  The  Ma- 
ronites,  Nestorians,  Armenians,  Arians. — Proclamation  of  Theo- 
dosius.  —  Its  Effects.  —  The  Donatists.  —  The  Jesuits  and  Jansen- 
ists.  —  Schisms  in  the  Church  of  Rome         ....        59 


LETTER  X. 

The  Episcopal  Church.  —  Bishops  appointed  during  the  Life  of  St. 
John.  — James  the  first  Bishop  of  Jerusalem.  — Linus,  a  Prince  of 
Britain,  first  Bishop  of  Rome.  —  Liturgy  of  England  derived  from 
St.  John  through  Lyons.  —  Church  of  England  founded  by  St. 
Paul  or  his  Associates.  —  Proof  of  his  Visit  to  England.  —  Aus- 
tin's celebrated  Visit  and  Conference.  —  Canons  of  Clarendon.  — In- 
dependence of  the  Church  of  England.  —  Wickliffe   and  Wolsey 

69 

LETTER  XL 

Present  Aspect  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  —  St.  Peter  not  superior  to 
the  other  Disciples.  —  Testimony  of  Scripture,  of  St.  Chrysostom, 
St.  Ambrose,  St.  Hilary,  Basil,  and  St.  Augustine,  to  the  equality 
of  the  Apostles 80 

LETTER  XIL 

Supremacy  of  the  Popes  examined.  —  Testimony  of  Sts.  Ignatius,  Ire- 
nxvLS,  Clement,  Jerome,  and  Erasmus  against  such  Supremacy.  — 
Depoi-tment  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome  in  the  Fourth  Century.  —  Da- 
masus 90 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 


LETTER  Xm. 

Resum^  of  preceding  Letter.  —  St.  Jerome's  Epistle.  —  The  Office  of 
Bishop  of  Home  in  a  transition  State.  —  Licentious  Conduct  of  the 
Clergy  of  Rome  in  the  Fourth  Century.  —  First  Statute  of  Mort- 
main. —  Clergy  forbidden  to  frequent  the  Houses  of  Widows  and 
Virgins.  —  St.  Jerome  and  St.  Ambrose  deplore  their  Conduct.  — 
Valcntinian  gives  precedence  to  the  Bishop  of  Milan  over  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  in  his  Decree  to  abolish  Paganism.  —  Secession  of  Rome 
from  the  Eastern  Church '.        105 

LETTER  XIV. 

Article  in  the  Edinburgh  Review  on  Saul  of  Tarsus.  —  Qualifications 
of  St.  Paul  compared  with  those  of  St.  Peter.  —  Bunsen's  Hippo- 
lytus.  —  Avarice  and  Conniption  of  Zcphyrinus  and  Callistus,  Bish- 
ops of  Rome,  at  the  close  of  the  Second  Century.  —  Picture  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  in  the  Second  Century       .        .        .       \        112 

LETTER  XV. 

Treatise  of  Faber.  —  Arguments  of  Chevalier  Bunsen  against  the 
Church  of  Rome.  —  Milner's  End  of  Controversy  neither  Truthful 
nor  Logical.  —  Gross  Errors  of  Mihier.  —  He  ascribes  the  Latin  Lit- 
urgy to  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.  —  Greek,  not  Latin,  for  the  first 
three  Centuries  was  the  Language  of  Commerce,  Religion,  and  Lit- 
erature in  Asia  and  Europe.  —  Weakness  of  his  Assault  on  the  Au- 
thority of  Scripture.  —  Contradictions.  —  States  that  Zephyrinus 
and  Callistus  were  eminent  for  their  Sanctity.  —  Catholic  Proof  of 
their  Venality  and  Profligacy.  —  He  alleges  no  diversity  of  Belief 
in  the  Ancient  Church  as  to  the  Real  Presence.  —  Is  contradicted  by 
Pope  Leo  and  several  eminent  Catholic  Fathers  and  Saints.  —  His 
Misstatements  as  to  the  Ncstorians.  —  Misstatement  as  to  the  Greek 
Church. — Entirely  unreliable      .        .        .        .        .        .        117 

LETTER  XVL 

Effects  of  preceding  Letters.  —  Resumption  of  Series.  —  Reasons  for 
resuming. — Essay  of  Conycrs  Middleton. — Conformity  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  the  Rites  of  Paganism.  —  Parallel  between  them 
with  resi)cct  to  Incense,  Candles,  Votive  Offerings,  Statues,  Holy 
Water,  Groves,  Oratories,  Mendicant  Priests,  and  Miracles  128 


CONTENTS.  LX. 


LETTER  XVII. 


The  Jesuits.  —  Activity  and  Efficiency  of  the  Order.  —  Agents  of  the 
Holy  See.  —  Favor  the  Worship  of  the  Virgin.  —  View  her  as  an 
Intercessor  between  God  and  Man.  —  Her  Worship  gradually  super- 
seding the  Worship  of  the  Deity.  —  The  Two  Ladders.  —  The 
Origin,  Eules,  Character,  Progress,  and  Success  of  the  Order      136 


LETTER  XVin. 

Graphic  Sketch  of  the  Jesuits  by  Macaulay.  —  Secret  of  their  Success. 
—  Great  Power  and  Resources.  —  Neglect  of  the  Sources  of  their 
Greatness.  —  Overthrow  of  Portroyal.  —  Connection  with  the  Mas- 
sacre of  St.  Bartholomew,  and  Revocation  of  Edict  of  Nantz. — 
Expulsion  from  Portugal,  Spain,  France,  Austria.  —  Suppression 
by  the  Pope.  —  Death  of  the  Pope  in  consequence. — Expulsion 
from  Moscow.  —  Their  Revival.  — Renewed  Progress         .        145 


LETTER  XIX. 

Origin,  Extent,  and  Nature  of  Pope's  Supremacy.  —  Such  Power  not 
claimed  by  the  Bishops  of  Rome  for  six  Centxxries.  —  Supremacy 
of  the  Roman  Emperors,  and  Admission  by  Bishops  of  Rome  of 
their  Supremacy.  —  Their  subsequent  Pretensions.  — Deposition  of 
Monarchs.  —  Anathema  against  Napoleon.  —  Condemnation  of 
modem  Works  denying  the  absolute  Power  of  the  Pope.  —  Recent 
Aorogation  of  Laws  of  Spain  and  Sardinia  by  the  Pope.  —  Edict  of 
the  Provincial  Council  of  Baltimore.  —  Absorption  of  Churches 
and  Trust  Funds  by  the  Pope.  —  Resistance  of  the  Trustees  of  a 
Church  at  ButFalo.  —  Consequences.  —  Interposition  of  the  Civil 
Power 157 


LETTER  XX. 

Vestiges  of  the  Ancient  Primitive  Church.  — Inrestigattens  by  Cher- 
alier  Bunscn.  —  Results.  —  Evidence  of  the  Existence  of  Ecclesias- 
tical Rules,  and  Discovery  of  the  Ancient  System  of  Instruction  in 
Religion.  —  Order  of  Worship.  —  Canons  of  Church  Government, 
and  Rules  of  Private  Life.  —  Epitome  of  tlieir  Contents.  —  Over- 
throw of  the  Claims  of  Rome.  —  Great  Work  of  Christianity.  — 
Church  of  the  Future 176 


CONTENTS. 


LETTER  XXI. 


Summary.  —  Recurrence  to  first  JPropositions.  —  Syllogism  of  Roman 
Catholic  Bishop.  —  Application  of  the  Evidence.  —  Public  Policy 

184 


APPENDIX. 

Chdrch  Books  op  the  Apostolic  Chxtrch  as  restoeed  by 

BUNSEN-. 

Book  1 193 

Book  II 207 

Book  in. 220 

Power  claimed  by  the  Popes  as  evinced  by  their  Official  Acts,  ex- 
tract from  Barrow's  Popes'  Supremacy         ....         227 

Oath  of  Roman  Catholic  Bishops  published  in  the  Seventeenth  Cen- 
tury       233 

Voltaire's  Character  of  Pascal,  and  Opinion  of  his  Work  expressed 
by  the  celebrated  Bossuet 236 

Morals  of  the  Jesuits,  from  Pascal's  Provincial  Letters  ;  part  of  Let- 
ter XV 237 

Doctrine  of  the  Jesuits  and  Origin  of  the  Jansenists,  from  Ranke's 
History  of  the  Popes 245 

Opposition  of  the  Jesuits  to  the  Circulation  of  the  Scriptures  in 
Prance,  from  Henry's  Exposition  of  the  New  Testament     .        259 

Worsliip  of  the  Virgin  Mary  gradually  superseding  the  Christian  Re- 
ligion, as  conceded  by  the  Jesuits.    Extract  from  Seymour         264 

Effects  and  Tendency  of  Papacy,  an  extract  from  Barrow's  Treatise 
on  the  Pope's  Supremacy,  Vol.  VII.  p.  290         .         .         .         267 

Additional  Proof  that  St.  Paul  or  his  immediate  Converts  planted 
Christianity  in  Britain.  —  Linus,  Claudia,  Pudens,  Pomponia  Grse- 
cina,  natives  or  friends  of  Britain,  Christians,  and  doubtless  Con- 
verts of  St.  Paul.  —  Marble  Tablet  found  at  Ciiichester       .        274 


INTRODUCTION. 


These  letters  were  written  by  a  member  of  the 
legal  profession,  in  active  practice,  to  a  young  kins- 
man. 

This  youth  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  after  evincing 
much  industry  and  talent  as  a  student,  had  become 
deeply  interested  in  religious  subjects.  Misled  by 
the  statements  in  Milner's  End  of  Controversy  and 
other  Roman  Catholic  works,  he  suddenly  conceived 
the  idea  that  the  Church  of  Rome  was  the  only 
primitive,  apostolic,  and  catholic  church,  and  ap- 
prised the  author  that  he  should,  in  his  next  vaca- 
tion, apply  to  a  Roman  Catholic  bishop  for  baptism. 
As  the  case  required  prompt  action,  the  author  im- 
mediately wrote  a  series  of  letters  to  dissuade  him 
from  his  purpose. 

He  resorted  not  to  modern  casuists,  but  to  the 
fountainheads,  and  tested  the  claims  and  faith  of 
the  Church  of  Rome,  not  by  the  writings  of  its  op- 
ponents, but  by  those  authorities  on  which  that 
Church  relies,  namely,  those  early  saints,  fathers, 
and  popes,^  Augustine,  Clement,  Irenasus,  Ambrose, 

(xi) 


xu  mmoDucTioji. 

Chrysostom,  Eusebius,  Jerome,  Athanasius,  Leo,  and 
others  revered  by  the  church  itself,  and,  in  many  in- 
stances, inscribed  on  its  tree  of  saints  and  martyrs. 
He  also  drew  his  illustrations  from  scripture,  history, 
and  books  of  travels. 

The  letters  having  convinced  his  kinsman,  he  has 
been  led  by  the  solicitation  of  friends  and  clergy- 
men, to  complete  the  series  of  letters  and  to  place 
them  before  the  public 


THE    CATHOLIC. 


LETTER    I. 

Boston,  February  10,  1853. 
My  Dear  S.  .  .  :  —  Your  mother  has  placed  in  my 
hands  your  letter  of  the  fourth  current,  and  finding  a 
few  hours  leisure  this  morning,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to 
reply.  I  confess  I  do  not  like  the  spirit  of  your  let- 
ter, for  it  is  altogether  too  positive  in  its  tone.  You 
are  but  a  stripling  of  seventeen  years;  you  have 
made  good  progress,  and  displayed  some  acumen, 
but  are  still  a  very  youthful  philosopher.  The  law 
which  intrusts  to  me  your  guidance,  the  public  sen- 
timent which  expects  me  to  instruct  you,  and  thus 
qualify  you  for  the  duties  and  conflicts  of  life,  con- 
fide to  me  as  a  correlative  privilege,  the  guidance  of 
your  religious  sentiment.  Having  a  respect  for  all 
denominations  of  Christians,  and  having  been  com- 
pelled by  circumstances  to  worship  with  several,  I 
have  wished  not  to  press  the  subject  of  religion  upon 
you  with  too  much  zeal,  but  to  place  you  under  the 
care  of  our  o^'n  clergyman,  and  give  you  the  oppor- 
tunity, without  undue  coercion,  to  avail  yourself  of 
his  guidance,  and  gradually  mature  your  religious 
opinions. 

1  (ir 


2  rHE  CATHOLIC. 

It  is,  however,  my  duty  under  your  last  letter,  to 
speak  more  decidedly.  Your  opinions  on  religion  are 
at  present  immature,  and  betray  a  want  of  research 
and  reflection.  More  time  and  study  are  requi- 
site. You  have  an  impulsive  temperament,  and  have 
already  on  more  occasions  than  one,  acted  under 
erroneous  impressions,  and  changed  your  opinions 
or  essentially  modified  them,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
will  do  it  again.  I  must  therefore  apprise  you,  that 
I  shall  not  for  the  present  consent  to  your  becoming 
a  member  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  When  you 
have  made  more  progress,  when  you  have  attained 
to  your  twentieth  year,  and  have  properly  investi- 
gated the  subject,  I  shall,  however  reluctant,  place  no 
restraint  upon  your  deliberate  judgment,  and  mean- 
while I  wish  you  to  thoroughly  investigate  the  whole 
subject. 

Your  letter  evinces  a  strange  want  of  information 
on  one  point.  You  say,  "  Catholic  means  universal, 
and  Episcopalianism  only  exists  in  England  and  a 
small  part  of  America,  and  if  you  can  point  me  to 
a  place  in  the  world  (where  men  have  any  idea  of 
the  Christian  religion)  where  Roman  Catholicism 
does  not  exist,  then  I  will  turn  Protestant." 

Now  Europe,  the  most  civilized  part  of  the  world, 
contains  three  millions  seven  hundred  thousand  square 
miles,  and  in  two  thirds  of  it  the  Roman  Catholic 
clmrch  has  virtually  no  existence^  namely,  in 

Russia  containing  2,000,000  square  miles.^ 

Sweden  and  Norway  291,000  " 

Turkey  210,000  « 

Total  2,501,000  " 

1  Except  the  Polish  ProTince. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  6 

The  Roman  Catholic  church  holds  a  divided  em- 
pire over  one  million  two  hundred  thousand  miles 
only,  and  does  not  embrace  half  the  people  of  Eu- 
rope. The  Greek  church  has  nearly  as  many  wor- 
shippers in  Europe  as  the  Roman,  and  controls  ex- 
clusively  more  than  half  the  territory  of  Europe,  and 
about  all  the  Christian  churches  of  Asia.  The 
Roman  church  is  in  a  minority  also  in  Africa  and 
America. 

Again  you  say,  that  "  it  is  universally  conceded 
that  no  Protestants,  that  is,  dissenting  or  protesting 
from  the  authority  of  the  Pope,  existed  before  the 
time  of  Luther,  consequently  you  are  not  apostoli- 
cal." Have  you  never  read  of  this  same  Greek 
church  which  claims  to  be  apostolic,  and  was  estab- 
lished at  Byzantium ;  have  you  not  heard  of  Wick- 
liffe,  of  the  Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  or  to  go  back 
further,  are  you  not  aware  that  St.  Augustine  of  the 
fifth  century,  from  whom  the  Augustines  take  their 
name,  a  man  whose  writings  are  preserved  and 
treated  as  authorities  by  the  Roman  See,  authorities 
they  cannot  and  dare  not  reject,  was  Calvinistic  in 
his  doctrines  now  extant  ?  Was  he  an  adorer  of  the 
Virgin  Mary?  Again,  there  is  nothing  but  vague 
tradition  to  show  that  Peter  founded  the  Church  of 
Rome,  and  that  same  tradition  is,  that  Peter  and 
Paul  both  suffered  martyrdom  at  Rome,  and  what 
record  does  St.  Paul  give  of  Peter  as  Bishop  of 
Rome?  St.  Paul  does  speak  of  Clement,  his  fellow- 
laborer  at  Rome,  but  does  not  speak  of  any  assist- 
ance from  St.  Peter,  who  seems  to  have  derived  his 
subsequent  reputation  from  a  mere  play  upon  his 
name,  or  figurative  expression  of  our  Saviour. 


4  THE   CATHOLIC. 

St.  Paul  was  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  He 
was  the  great  traveller.  He  speaks  of  his  repeated 
shipwrecks,  his  voyages  and  journeys  by  sea  and 
land,  of  his  visit  to  Spain.  This  was  the  route  of 
Phoenician  commerce  to  the  tin,  copper,  and  lead 
mines  of  England ;  and  the  English  tradition  is,  that 
St.  Paul  established  churches  in  England.  We  learn, 
at  all  events,  from  Lingard,  the  Roman  Catholic  his- 
torian of  England,  who  cites  the  venerable  Bede, 
that  when  Pope  Gregory,  in  the  seventh  century, 
sent  Austin  to  England  to  convert  the  Saxons,  he' 
found  Christian  churches  which  had  been  established 
there  for  centuries,  entirely  unknown  to  the  Bishop 
of  Rome,  who  punned  upon  the  Angles  as  "  angels," 
and  upon  Deira  their  home  as  "  Dei  Ira." 

The  English  church  claims  an  apostolic  descent 
from  St.  Paul,  with  more  presumptions  from  history, 
and  quite  as  much  from  traditions,  as  the  Romish  * 
does  from  St.  Peter.     Iconium,  or  the  Isle  of  lona, 
was  the  ancient  seat  of  religious  instruction. 

Subsequently,  when  the  Pope  of  Rome  had  ob- 
tained some  ascendency  over  the  English  church, 
some  Catholic  rites,  forms,  and  doctrines  were 
adopted,  which  were  more  or  less  discarded  at  the 
Reformation  ;  but  the  English  church,  as  well  as  the 
French,  ever  maintained  a  great  degree  of  inde- 
pendence. 

The  English  church  would  not  allow  the  Pope  to 
appoint  bishops,  or  consecrate  them  at  Rome,  but 
merely  to  send  the  Pallium  or  Vesture ;  it  refused 
Peter  Pence,  and  in  other  respects  questioned  the 
Papal  supremacy,  and  washed  itself  from  abuses 
Ihat  had  crept  in,  at  the   Reformation.     You  ask, 


THE   CATHOLIC.  O 

where  were  the  Protestants  for  many  centuries  after 
our  Saviour?  The  reply  doubtless  is,  they  were 
gradually  giving  way  to  the  abuses,  and  encroach- 
ments, and  grasping  policy  of  the  Roman  See,  ever 
extending  its  arms ;  or  I  might  add,  the  subject  is 
forcibly  if  not  elegantly  illustrated,  by  the  answer  of 
the  English  boy  to  the  Irish.  The  latter  asked, 
What  was  the  condition  of  your  church  before  the 
Keformation  ?  The  English  boy  replies,  In  the  same 
condition  you  were  in  before  your  face  was  washed 
this  morning.! 

But  to  another  point.  You  speak  of  the  "  unity  " 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  for  fourteen  centuries. 
Where  was  that  unity  when  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  and  the  Greek  church  separated,  divided 
Christendom,  and  the  bishop  of  Rome  and  the  bishop 
of  Constantinople  mutually  excommunicated  each 
other  ? 

Where  was  its  unity  when  St.  Augustine,  still  a 
calendar  saint,  preached  Calvinistic  sermons  ?  Where 
was  its  unity  when  the  Franciscans  and  Dominicans, 
professing  different  doctrines,  divided  the  church  and 
anathematized  each  other  ?  Where  was  its  unity  in 
the  great  struggle  of  the  iconoclasts  and  image-wor- 
shippers which  divided  the  church  also?  Are  you 
not  aware  that  the  great  Roman  Catholic  articles  of 
faith,  transubstantiation,  indulgences,  and  purgatory, 
are  of  modern  introduction  into  the  Roman  Catholic 

^  This  striking  illustration  originated  with  the  celebrated  John 
Wilkes.  When  asked  by  a  Roman  Catholic,  "  Where  was  your 
church  before  Luther  ?  "  he  inquired,  "  Did  you  wash  your  face 
this  morning  ?  "  "  Yes,"  was  the  response,  and  then  came  the  slg- 
lilficant  reply,  "  Where  was  your  face  before  it  was  washed  ?  " 
'    1* 


6  THE   CATHOLIC 

creed,  and  that  the  adoration  and  prayers  to  the  Vir- 
gin are  long  subsequent  to  St,  Augustine  ? 

Have  you  never  read  of  the  great  division  of  the 
Roman  Catholics  between  the  Jesuits  and  the  Jansen- 
ites,  and  the  more  recent  division  between  the  Mon- 
tane and  Transmantane  parties,  the  former  denying 
and  the  latter  admitting  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope, 
without  a  general  council  of  the  church  ? 

And  are  not  the  differences  between  these  parties 
altogether  more  serious  than  those  between  high  and 
low  church  ? 

And  when  you  speak  of  miracles,  do  you  believe 
in  the  holy  coat  of  Treves,  and  in  the  tears  which 
flow  from  eyes  of  statues  in  whose  hollow  heads 
fishes  are  swimming? 

You  speak  of  casting  out  devils.  It  seems  to  me 
that  too  much  presumption  and  self-conjidence  with- 
out knowledge,  are  the  modern  and  most  dangerous 
devils,  and  the  true  mode  to  cast  them  out,  is  to  ap- 
proach this  gi-eat  subject  of  religion  with  humility 
and  diffidence,  to  pay  some  respect  to  the  experience 
of  those  who  have  lived  twenty  or  thirty  years  longei: 
than  yourself,  and  then  to  investigate  the  great  ques- 
tion of  religion  coolly,  cautiously,  prayerfully,  and 
thoroughly,  and  not  decide  first  and  learn  afterwards. 

I  send  you  a  pamphlet  of  some  bearing  on  this 
question,  and  would  recommend  you  to  read  the  first, 
St.  Augustine,  with  care ;  also  to  read  Churton's 
Early  English  Church,  and  Stillingfleet's  Origines 
Britannicae  Ecclesiae,  and  other  prominent  authors. 
Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    II. 

BosTOK,  February  20,  1853. 

Dear  S.  .  .  :  —  At  your  request,  I  have  seen  the 
Roman  Catholic  bishop,  and  apprised  him  of  my 
views  respecting  you,  and  thanked  him  for  not  yield- 
ing to  your  inconsiderate  request.  He  told  me  that 
when  candidates  for  admission  to  his  church  came  to 
him,  he  often  held  them  back,  and  sometimes  put 
them  on  probation  for  eighteen  months,  and  added, 
that  he  had  advised  you,  that  in  case  of  death  dur- 
ing probation,  he  had  no  doubt  all  parties  on  probation 
would  be  saved.  He  expressed,  too,  the  opinion,  that 
it  was  not  wise  or  judicious  for  any  one  to  join  the 
church,  without  due  and  ample  thought  and  investi- 
gation, and  promised  to  do  nothing  more  in  the 
premises  (except  to  reply  to  your  inquiries  and  fur- 
nish books)  without  consulting  me  upon  the  subject. 

You  will  therefore,  I  trust,  have  no  difficulty  in 
conforming  to  my  views,  and  I  must  insist  on  my 
prerogative.  I  am  on  one  point  more  liberal  than 
the  bishop.  He  says  he  could  not  advise  any  parent 
in  his  church,  to  consent  that  his  son  should  leave  his 
church  for  another;  but  I  am  willing  that  some  two 
years  hence,  when  you  have  attained  to  the  age  of 
twenty,  and  matured  your  opinions,  you  should  exer- 
cise your  own  deliberate  judgment ;  but  let  me  assure 
you,  that  if  you  deliberately  disobey  me  after  this 

(7) 


8  THE   CATHOLIC. 

assurance,  that  your  disobedience  will  not  only  be 
registered  indelibly  in  my  own  mind,  but  will  be 
registered  in  heaven. 

I  have  hoped  you  would  endeavor  to  sustain  the 
points  you  advanced  in  your  first  letter,  and  would 
reply  to  my  last,  but  I  see  you  notice  but  one  or  two 
suggestions,  and  fly  off  to  some  Romish  logic,  which 
it  seems  to  me  you  must  draw  not  from  your  own 
reading,  but  from  some  modern  casuist.  I  regret  that 
you  have  not,  down  to  this  time,  read  more  upon 
the  subject  of  theology,  and  that  you  have  not  em- 
braced in  your  course  of  miscellaneous  reading,  those 
books  of  history  and  of  travels  which  would  have 
shown  you  the  disastrous  influence  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  on  the  countries  Avhere  its  power  has  been  es- 
tablished for  the  last  twelve  centuries. 

I  do  not  write  you  to  prefer  charges  against  the 
Church  of  Rome,  but  to  draw  your  attention  to  the 
weakness  of  its  foundations,  and  the  remarkable  de- 
parture it  has  made  firom  the  simplicity  of  the  gos- 
pel. I  wish  to  point  out  its  errors  which  are  obvious 
to  me  as  a  layman,  and  which  have  long  impressed 
my  mind,  and  in  doing  so,  I  wish  to  exhibit  that  re- 
spect which  I  feel  for  aU  denominations  of  Chris- 
tians, and  for  all  followers  of  our  Saviour,  whether 
of  the  Romish,  Greek,  or  Protestant  faith.  I  shall 
give  you,  too,  my  own  views,  and  the  result  of  my 
own  reading.  I  propose  to  discuss  the  question  at 
issue  \yith  you  myself,  and  leave  our  pastor  to  dis- 
cuss it  if  he  sees  fit  with  our  friend  the  Romish 
.bishop. 

You  do  not  appear  to  be  familiar  with  the  early 
fathers  and  writers,  who  are  recognized  as  high  au- 


THE  CATHOLIC.  9 

thorities  by  the  Catholic  church,  and  are  deferred  to 
by  both  Greek,  Romish,  and  Protestant  churches.  I 
mean  the  great  men  who  wrote  in  the  first  four  cen- 
turies before  the  dark  ages,  namely,  Cyprian,  Jerome, 
Origen,  Augustine,  Ambrose,  Chrysostom,  Gregory, 
Eusebius,  and  Tertullian ;  but  as  I  happen  to  have  in 
my  possession  one  of  the  books  of  St.  Augustine, 
and  copious  extracts  from  the  others,  made  by  Jew- 
ell, the  learned  bishop  of  Salisbury,  in  the  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  with  full  reference  to  book  and 
page,  I  shall  quote  them  in  discussion. 

The  Augustine  I  cited,  and  propose  to  cite,  is  not 
Jansen,  who  signs  himself  Augustinus,  because  he 
adopts  the  views  of  St.  Augustine,  but  the  old  saint 
himself,  whom  you  mention  "  as  the  clearest  of  wit- 
nesses," although  I  can  find  no  proof  in  his  writings 
that  he  was,  as  you  seem  to  suppose,  a  devout  wor- 
shipper, in  the  Romish  sense,  of  the  blessed  Virgin 
Mary. 

And  first,  let  me  draw  your  attention  to  the  argu- 
ment against  the  Romish  church  being  the  true  one, 
derived  from  history  and  travels.  You  will  find  the 
current  of  evidence  nearly  irresistible,  that  in  those 
countries  where  it  has  prevailed,  progress  and  civili- 
zation have  been  retarded,  and  the  condition  of  the 
people  sadly  depressed.  Compare  England  since  the 
Reformation  for  three  centuries,  with  England  for 
three  centuries  before,  and  see  what  a  stride  she  has 
made,  from  a  poor  and  obscure  island,  with  her  land 
engrossed  by  monasteries  and  nunneries,  and  her 
people  depressed,  degraded,  and  ignorant.  Look  at 
the  leap  she  has  made  since  she  shook  off  these  in- 
cumbrances.    Look  at  the  progress  of  population, 


10  ^E   CATHOLIC. 

wealth,  industry,  and  art,  at  the  islands  and  territo- 
ries she  has  subdued  and  settled,  at  her  mastery  of 
the  seas,  and  the  diffusion  of  her  race,  language,  and 
religion  throughout  the  world.  At  the  present  rate 
of  progress,  in  one  century  more,  the  Protestants 
speaking  the  English  tongue  will  exceed  three  hun- 
dred millions,  and  outnumber  the  present  members 
of  both  Greek  and  Romish  churches;  and  what  is 
one  century  compared  with  the  eighteen  preceding 
centuries?  Again,  compare  Italy,  the  ancient  seat 
of  arts  and  power,  depressed  and  degraded  and  im- 
poverished under  the  Papal  see  for  twelve  centuries, 
with  the  Protestant  States  of  Holland  won  from  the 
sea,  Germany,  England,  and  the  United  States,  in 
which  last  the  Protestants  stand  as  ten  to  one  com- 
pared with  the  Roman  Catholics.  Compare  Spain, 
broken  down  by  the  inquisition  and  absorption  of  land 
by  the  priesthood  and  by  Romish  observances,  with 
England  and  Holland,  and  mark  the  progress  of 
France  since  the  estates  of  the  church  were  alienated, 
and  recur  to  the  losses  both  France  and  Spain  sus- 
tained, the  former  by  the  massacre'  of  the  Protestants 
and  the  expulsion  of  the  survivors,  and  the  latter  by 
the  expulsion  of  the  Moors,  who  were  so  long  the  de- 
positaries of  learning,  and  that  barbarous  interdict 
upon  all  freedom  of  thought,  the  inquisition.  But  I 
thank  God,  even  the  Romish  church  is  now  aban- 
doning the  auto  da  fe  and  the  grand  inquisitor. 

Now  I  submit  this  argument  as  to  the  Romish 
faith  being  a  departure  from  the  gospel,  that  the  true 
design  of  Christianity  was  to  refine,  improve,  and 
civilize,  not  debase  t'he  world ;  and  if  we  find  a  sys- 
tem has  departed  from  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel, 


THE   CATHOLIC.  11 

and  has  been  attended  by  debasement  and  degrada- 
tion, while  the  reformation  has  been  attended  with 
different  results,  that  system  cannot  be  true. 

Again,  let  me  recur  to  the  origin  of  the  Romish 
church.  Its  basis  should  be  the  gospel.  Here  we 
have  a  safe  starting-point.  All  denominations  recog- 
nize the  mission  of  our  Saviour,  and  the  authority 
of  the  Gospels,  Acts,  and  Epistles.  Now  how  far  do 
these  sacred  books  establish  the  faith,  doctrines,  and 
usages  of  the  Romish  church  ?  First,  the  Church  of 
Rome  relies  upon  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  St.  Mat- 
thew, eighteenth  verse,  in  which  our  Saviour  says, 
"  Thou  art  Peter,  and  on  this  rock  I  will  build  my 
church."  But  we  must  remember  that  in  the  same 
chapter,  verse  twenty -third,  our  Saviour  rebukes  Peter 
in  terms  stronger  than  he  used  to  any  apostle,  save 
Judas,  who  betrayed  him,  saying,  "  Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan,  thou  art  an  offence  unto  me."  And  we 
must  not  forget  that  in  the  hour  of  trial  Peter  fal- 
tered, that  he  thrice  denied  our  Lord,  and  drawing  a 
sword  against  the  wishes  of  our  Saviour,  wounded  a 
servant  of  the  high-priest,  because  he  stated  the  truth. 

Again,  the  Romish  chm-ch  adverts  to  the  gift  of 
keys  and  relies  on  the  nineteenth  verse  of  the  same 
chapter,  but  the  ancient  fathers  attached  little  impor- 
tance to  this  verse  which  so  closely  precedes  the  re- 
buke. Tertullian,  of  Carthage,  who  flourished  in 
the  next  century  after  the  apostles,  says,  "  Clavem  in- 
terpretationem  legis."  ^  Chrysostom,  bishop  of  Con- 
stantinople, says,  "  Clavis  est  scientia  scripturarum 

^ "  The  key  is  the  interpretation  of  the  law." 


12  THE  CATHOLIC. 

per  quam  aperitur  janua  veritatis.''^  Chrysostom 
lived  in  393.  Eusebius,  who  lived  in  290,  born  in 
Palestine  in  265,  an  able  and  voluminous  writer,  calls 
the  keys  "  the  word  of  God."  These  seem  to  be  the 
earliest  and  most  authentic  of  ancient  expositors,  and 
I  can  refer  you  to  these  passages  and  all  others  I 
may  cite.  What  becomes,  then,  of  the  express  dele- 
gation to  St.  Peter,  claimed  by  the  Komanists,  of  the 
exclusive  custody  of  the  gates  of  heaven  ? 

Again,  the  Romish  church  relies  on  the  words  spo- 
ken to  St.  Peter,  "  feed  my  sheep,  feed  my  lambs," 
the  words  of  our  Saviour.  But  our  Saviour  said  to 
all  his  apostles,  indifferently,  "  feed  ye,"  "  go  into  the 
whole  world,"  "teach  ye  the  gospel." ^  Whatever 
power  was  given  to  St.  Peter  was  not  delegated  to 
his  successors  by  any  words  I  find  in  the  gospels. 
The  Romish  church  look  principally  to  St.  Peter,  but 
it  appears  by  Holy  Writ  that  St.  Paul  was  the  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  principal  if  not  the 
sole  founder  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 

Tt  is  true  the  Lord  appeared  in  a  vision  to  St. 
Peter,  to  dispel  his  impressions  as  to  the  impurity  of 
the  Gentiles,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  St.  Peter, 
for  many  years,  went  out  of  Asia,  while  St.  Paul, 
enlightened  by  a  heavenly  vision,  and  highly  edu- 
cated, having  been  reared  at  Tarsus,  distinguished 
for  its  schools,  and  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  a  learned 
and  leading  Pharisee,  and  being  born  a  Roman  citi- 
zen, was  converted  to  the  faith,  and  sent  forth  the 

^ "  The  key  is  the  knowledge  of  Scripture  through  which  the 
gate  of  truth  is  opened." 

"John  20:  21-23.     Mark  16  :  15. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  13 

eloquent  expounder  of  Christianity,  and  endowed  also 
with  the  power  of  miracles.  Refer  to  the  Acts  and 
Epistles.  Who  was  the  principal  actor  and  author  ? 
St.  Paul.  How  often  did  he  visit  Rome,  arid  how 
long  did  he  reside  there  ?  He  was  there  twice  or 
thrice  and  for  years.  His  epistles  most  of  them  bear 
date  from  Rome.  Look  at  their  conclusion.  Read 
them  all,  and  you  will  find  he  was  in  Asia,  Egypt, 
Arabia,  Thrace,  Greece,  Macedonia,  Italy,  Spain, 
and  many  other  regions,  founding  churches  and 
preaching  the  gospel.  Examine  his  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians  from  Rome,  chapters  one  and  two,  from 
the  fourteenth  verse  of  the  first,  to  the  sixteenth  verse 
of  the  second  chapter,  and  note  his  remarkable  nar- 
rative of  the  heavenly  vision,  and  his  mission  to  the 
Gentiles.  How  it  was  three  years  after  he  com- 
menced that  mission,  before  he  visited  the  disciples 
in  Jerusalem,  where  he  conferred  with  Peter  and 
James,  (the  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,)  the  Lord's 
brother,  and  after  a  visit  of  but  fifteen  days  to  Peter, 
left  Judea  for  Cilicia  and  Syria ;  how  he  travelled  on 
his  mission  for  fourteen  years,  and  then  returned  to 
Jerusalem  where  he  found  James  and  John,  as  well 
as  Cephas,  "  pillars  of  the  church,"  and  Peter  perform- 
ing his  mission  to  the  circumcised ;  how"  he  met  Peter 
at  Antioch  ;  how  Peter  at  first  associated  with  the 
Gentiles  at  meals,  and  when  the  Jews  appeared  with- 
drew, and  how  severely  Paul  reproved  him  for  this 
tergiversation,  "  and  withstood  him  to  the  face  because 
he  was  to  be  blamed."  See  Galatians  11 :  11, 14,  and 
note  that  he  afterwards  returned  to  Rome,  and  thence 
addressed  his  apostolic  letters  to  the  bishops  of  various 
churches.  Does  all  this  show  any  supremacij  or  infal- 
2 


14  THE   CATHOLIC. 

libility  on  the  part  of  St.  Peter  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles  ?  He  may  have  subsequently  visited  Rome, 
and  his  martyrdom  may  have  occurred  there,  and  his 
blood  have  cemented  the  foundations  of  the  church 
which  St.  Paul  had  reared  there,  but  St.  Paul  was 
the  bold,  learned,  eloquent,  and  effective  preacher  of 
the  gospel  to  the  heathen,  and  at  least  coordinate 
with  St.  Peter,  the  oldest  and  probably  least  in- 
structed of  the  disciples,  who  must  have  been  an  old 
man  when  he  reached  Rome  more  than  eighteen 
years  after  the  death  of  our  Saviour. 

It  thus  appears  by  Holy  Writ,  that  St.  Peter  did 
not  plant  the  Church  of  Rome.  In  my  next  letter,  I 
will  test  by  Catholic  writers,  the  authority  of  the  first 
bishops  of  Rome,  and  how,  on  the  decline  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  they  acquired  the  Papal  power. 
Very  sincerely  and  affectionately  yours. 

I  have  no  objections  to  your  asking  the  bishop  any 
questions  that  you  may  see  fit,  but  I  do  not  wish 
you  to  send  him  this  letter. 


LETTER     III. 

Boston,  February  21,  1853. 
My  dear  S.  . . :  —  In  my  last  letter  I  showed  you  that 
Peter,  in  the  days  of  our  Saviour  and  the  apostles,  was 
not  superior  to  his  associates ;  that  the  "  keys  "  are  the 
"  Word  of  God"  given  to  all  the  disciples ;  that  James 
became  the  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem  to  the  exclusion 
of  Peter ;  that  Paul,  after  his  heavenly  vision,  with- 
out taking  counsel  of  the  disciples,  began  his  mission 
to  the  heathen,  and  became  the  builder  of  that 
church,  of  which  Christ  himself  was  the  chief  corner- 
stone ;  that  Paul  planted  the  great  churches  in  Ephe- 
sus,  Smyrna,  and  Rome,  chief  cities  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  and  in  tracing  the  progress  of  the  bishops 
of  Rome,  we  must  remember  that  Rome  was  the 
seat  of  empire,  the  mistress  of  the  world,  and  it  was 
to  be  expected  that  her  bishops  should  be  aspir- 
ing, that  they  should  feel  like  the  Romish  bishop  of 
New  York,  the  metropolis  of  our  country,  disposed 
to  outrank  their  fellows  and  enlarge  their  jurisdic- 
tion. It  was  natural  that  they  should  struggle  for 
supremacy,  and  by  no  means  surprising  they  should 
attain  to  power.  Six  centuries,  however,  expired 
before  they  acquired  a  positive  ascendency,  as  ap- 
pears by  the  concurrent  testimony  of  the  fathers  and 
historians  both  of  church  and  state.  Bishops  were 
placed  over  hundreds  of  churches  in  Em*ope,  Asia, 

(15) 


16  THE   CATHOLIC. 

and  Africa,  who  for  six  centuries  exercised  the  power 
of  the  apostles,  met  in  council,  and  by  discussion 
and  by  concurrent  votes  regulated  the  faith  and  di- 
rected the  worship  of  the  Catholic  church. 

The  first  authority  on  whom  the  Romish  church 
places  any  reliance  is  Irenajus,  who  lived  about  the 
year  170,  and  was  a  Mend  of  Polycarp,  the  disciple 
of  St.  John.  He  wrote  a  treatise  against  the  Gnos- 
tics, who  claimed  to  know  certain  mysteries  which  the 
apostles  disclosed  only  to  the  perfect.  In  arguing 
against  these  heretics  in  his  essay ,i  he  says,  if  the 
apostles  had  laiown  any  such  mysteries,  they  would 
have  intrusted  them  to  those  to  whom  they  intrusted 
the  apostolic  churches  they  founded,  and  to  confute 
the  Gnostics  cites  the  doctrines  and  faith  derived 
from  the  apostles  by  a  succession  of  bishops  in  the 
great,  most  ancient,  and  universally  known  church, 
founded  at  Rome  by  the  glorious  apostles  Peter  and 
Paul,  in  which  the  faithful  around  it  have  always 
preserved  the  apostolic  doctrine,  and  adds,  that  not 
only  Polycarp,  taught  by  the  apostles,  and  by  them 
constituted  bishop  of  Smyrna,  but  also  the  Church 
of  Ephesus,  founded  by  Paul,  but  in  which  John  re- 
mained until  the  time  of  Trajan,  are  true  witnesses 
of  the  faith  transmitted  by  the  apostles. 

Ircnaeus  gives  to  the  Church  of  Rome  the  promi- 
nence she  deserves  from  her  position,  size,  impor- 
tance, and  founders,  but  brings  in  also  the  churches 
of  Smyrna  and  Ephesus,  as  alike  true  witnesses 
against  the  heretics  he  is  confuting,  thus  placing  them 
on  the  same  footing. 

Tcrtullian,  one  century  afterwards,  in  his  essay 

•  L.  3,  e.  3. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  17 

against  Marcian,  refers  his  opponent  to  his  standard 
authorities  against  him,  saying,  "  Run  over  the  apos- 
tolic churches  in  which  the  apostles'  chairs  are  still 
continued,  in  which  their  authentic  letters  are  recited, 
sounding  out  the  voice  and  representing  the  face 
of  each  one  of  them.  Is  Achaia  nearest  to  you,  you 
have  Corinth.  If  you  be  not  far  from  Macedonia,  you 
have  the  Philippians  and  the  Thessalonians.  If  you 
can  go  to  Asia,  you  have  Ephesus.  If  you  border 
on  Italy,  you  have  Rome,  whence  we  also  (namely, 
the  Africans)  can  have  authority." 

Thus  the  ancient  fathers  taught  the  people  to  re- 
form their  doctrine,  not  only  by  the  Church  of 
Rome,  but  also  by  other  notable  apostolic  churches. 

Again,  the  blessed  martyr,  Cyprian,  bishop  of  Car- 
thage, under  the  emperor  Decius,  a.  d.  249,  in  his 
treatise  of  "  Cyprianus  de  simplicitate  PraBlatorum," 
says,  "  AU  the  apostles  were  of  like  power  among 
themselves,  and  the  rest  were  the  same  that  Peter 
was,"  and  adds,  "  there  is  but  one  bishopric  and  a 
piece  thereof  is  holden  by  each  particular  bishop." 
What  paramount  power  does  this  saint  of  the  church 
accord  to  the  church  of  Rome  ? 

The  blessed  Jerome,  Hieronymus,  born  A.  d.  331,  in 
his  "  Litera  ad  Evagrium,"  speaking  of  the  usage 
and  order  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  says,  "  Why  al- 
legest  thou  to  me  the  usage  of  one  city  ?  "  Again, 
he  says,  "  not  only  the  bishops  of  one  city,  (that  is, 
Rome,)  but  the  bishops  of  all  the  world,  err."  Siu-ely, 
then,  the  bishop  of  Rome  had  no  infinite  or  universal 
power.  The  church  was  then  governed  by  councils, 
and  heretics  were  put  down  by  general  councils,  and 

2* 


18  THE   CATHOLIC. 

heretics  were  then  numerous.  St.  Augustine  enu- 
merates more  than  eighty  varieties,  and  at  one  time 
the  Arians^  favored  by  an  emperor,  were  supposed  to 
be  in  the  ascendant.  The  first  general  council  was 
called  by  Constantine,  the  emperor,  at  Nice.  Three 
hundred  and  eighteen  bishops  attended  to  put  down 
the  Arian  heresy.  It  is  intimated  both  by  St.  Jerome 
and  St.  Augustine  that  Liberius,  bishop  or  pope  of 
Rome,  took  part  with  the  Arians.  St.  Jerome  states 
this  in  his  treatise,^  and  Cardinal  Casanus,  a  Romish 
writer  in  the  first  half  of  the  fifteenth  centmy,  a  fa- 
vored firiend  of  Pope  Eugenius  IV.,  and  legate 
under  several  pontiffs,  represents  St.  Augustine  to 
have  said  that  "  Pope  Liberius  gave  his  hand  and 
consent  to  the  Arians."  ^  But  the  great  council  of 
Nice  put  down  the  Arians,  and  with  them  con- 
demned virtually  Liberius,  the  heretic  pope,  and 
the  other  bishops  who  favored  them.  An  eminent 
Roman  Catholic  writer  is  here  our  authority.  When 
councils  thus  condemn  the  Roman  bishop,  or  pope, 
where  was  his  infallibility,  and  how  was  it  mani- 
fested to  the  world  ?  Further,  by  the  sixth  canon  of 
the  first  Council  of  Nice,  the  whole  of  Christendom 
was  divided  into  four  patriarchships,  whereof  the  first 
was  Rome,  the  second  Alexandria,  the  third  Antioch, 
the  fourth  Jerusalem ;  each  was  limited,  and  Rome 
was  confined  to  Italy  and  the  West.  Neither  had 
power  over  the  other,  and  down  to  a  much  later  pe- 
riod, the  idea  of  a  universal  bishop  was  scouted  by  the 
bishops  of  Rome  as  well  as  others.     Gregory  I.,  a 

^  Hieron.  de  Eccles.  Scriptor. 

*  In  his  book  de  Concord.  L.  II,  c.  5. 


THE    CATHOLIC.  19 

bishop  of  Rome,  and  a  saint  of  the  Romish  church, 
says,^  "  He  is  antichrist  that  shall  claim  to  be  called 
universal  bishop,  or  chief  of  the  priests."  The  em- 
peror Gratian  did  the  same,  and  allowed  the  bishop 
of  Rome  to  be  called  no  more  than  bishop  of  the 
first  seat. 

St.  John,  predicting  the  antichrist  in  Revelations, 
says  of  the  number  of  the  beast,  "  His  number  is 
666."  IrenBBus  says  the  name  of  antichrist  is  ex- 
pressed by  a  number  Aarwrof,  equivalent  to  Latinus, 
The  Greek  letters  indicate  666.  After  Justinian,  at 
the  close  of  the  sixth  century,  had  deposed  two  Ro- 
man bishops  or  popes,  Sylverius  and  Vigilius,  the 
first  for  profligacy,  and  the  last  for  treason,  the 
Roman  bishops  were  for  a  time  quite  moderate  in 
their  pretensions.  About  this  period,  Gregory,  then 
bishop  of  Rome,  wnrites  as  follows  :  "  None  of  my 
predecessors,  bishops  of  Rome,  ever  consented  to  use 
this  ungodly  name  (of  universal  bishop) ;  no  bishop 
of  Rome  ever  took  upon  him  this  name  of  singular- 
ity ;  we,  the  bishops  of  Rome,  will  not  receive  this 
honor  being  offered  unto  us."^ 

But  bis  successors  were  not  so  fastidious.  Early 
in  the  seventh  century,  John,  bishop  of  Constantino- 
ple, claimed  from  the  emperor  Maurice,  the  title  of 
"  universal  bishop,"  and  Gregory  objected.  Soon 
after  Maurice,  with  his  family,  was  murdered  by  the 
centurion  Phocas,  who  was  raised  by  the  soldiery  to 
the  imperial  throne.  At  the  instance  of  Boniface 
II.,  bishop  of  Rome,  a  successor  of  Gregory,  the 
usurper  Phocas  conferred  this  '<  ungodly  name,"  as  it 

*  EpIstolsB  34,  L.  IV. 

*  Greg.  L.  IV.  Ep.  32  et  36. 


20  THE   CATHOLIC. 

was  termed  by  Gregory,  on  Boniface.  Building  on 
this  frail  title,  derived  not  from  St.  Peter,  but  from 
the  felon  and  usurper  Phocas,  the  popes  soon  en- 
larged their  power,  so  that  in  another  century  pope 
Boniface  VIII.  announced,  "that  every  creature  must 
submit  itself  to  the  bishop  of  Rome,  upon  the  pain 
of  everlasting  damnation."  So  much  for  the  origin 
and  foundations  of  the  papal  power  in  the  church  of 
Rome.  In  another  letter  I  shall  point  out  its  depar- 
ture from  the  teaching  of  our  Saviour. 

Very  sincerely  and  affectionately  yours. 


LETTER    IV. 

Boston,  February  23,  1853. 
My  D'ear  S.  .  .  :  —  In  my  previous  letters,  I  showed 
you  by  Scripture,  and  the  early  fathers,  canonized  as 
saints  by  the  church  of  Rome,  that  St.  Peter,  after 
the  death  of  our  Saviour,  was  on  a  level  with  the 
other  disciples ;  that  St.  Paul  without  any  conference 
with  him  after  his  journey  to  Damascus,  for  three 
years  toiled  in  his  mission  to  plant  churches  among 
the  heathen,  and  after  a  brief  visit  to  St.  Peter,  did  not 
meet  him  again  for  fourteen  years,  when  he  returned 
to  Jerusalem,  and  found  James  and  his  two  associ- 
ates, "  pillars  of  the  church."  I  could  also  have  qited 
the  learned  Eusebius,  the  first  historian  of  the  church, 
who  was  born  in  Palestine,  a.  d.  265,  and  enjoyed 
the  favor  of  Constantine  the  Great,  for  Eusebius 
calls  Paul  "  the  holy,  the  first  of  the  apostles,"  traces 
his  descent  from  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  applies 
to  him  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  •'  There  is  little  Ben- 
jamin their  ruler,"  ^  as  fulfilled  in  his^teaching.  I 
showed  in  my  letters  also,  the  early  bishops  of  Rome 
neither  were,  nor  claimed  to  be,  for  six  centuries, 
universal  bishops,  or  as  you  express  it,  '•  Catholic 
bishops,"  but  by  the  admission  of  one  of  them,  al- 
ways disclaimed  such  "  a  godless  name,"  and  regarded 
him  who  should  take  it  as  an  antichrist."     I  proved 

»  Psalms  68:  27. 

(21) 


22  THE   CATHOLIC. 

by  Catholic  testimony,  that  one  of  them  joined 
the  Arians,  and  was  condemned  with  others  by  a 
general  council ;  how  two  of  them  were  deposed, 
one  for  treason,  another  for  profligacy,  and  how  the 
title  of  Catholic  bishop  was  conferred  by  an  assassin 
and  usm-per,  but  little  before  the  period  when  St. 
John  and  Irenaeus  predicted  antichrist  should  come. 
I  might  proceed  to  show  the  evidence  that  one  Ro- 
man bishop  was  murdered  by  the  populace  for  his 
vices,  how  another  became  an  infidel,  and  how  the 
church  before  the  Reformation  generally  believed 
another  to  have  been  a  woman  in  disguise.  I  might 
trace  the  gradual  progress  of  the  Romish  church 
during  the  dark  ages,  in  its  assumption  of  power,  but 
I  have  other  topics  to  consider  and  discuss,  and  must 
refer  you  to  history  for  these  details.  I  propose  now 
to  consider  the  "  means  "  which  Christ  provided  for 
the  guidance  of  his  church  in  after  ages,  which 
"  have  not  fallen  short "  of  the  object,  or  failed  when 
properly  used,  to  preserve  the  church  from  error. 
Those  means  were  the  four  gospels,  the  authentic 
record  of  Christ's  mission,  faith,  and  precepts,  and 
the  Acts  and  Epistles  of  his  chosen  disciples,  con- 
fided to  the  bishops  of  the  apostolic  churches.  These 
bishops  met  in  council  fi-om  time  to  time,  to  put 
down  heresy  by  the  authority  of  Holy  Writ,  when 
individuals  yielded  to  error.  This  was  a  safe  and 
reliable  system,  and  the  same  standards,  the  Gospels, 
Epistles,  and  Acts,  are  transmitted  to  us. 

During  the  first  six  centuries  questions  were  set- 
tled, not  by  the  mysteries  of  the  Gnostics,^  but  by 

'  ICarly  hcretios  wlio   claimed  that  there  were  mysteries  and 
traditions  which  went  beyond  the  letter  of  the  gdspel. 


TUE   CATHOLIC.  23 

Holy  Writ.  Like  the  prophet  David,  the  holy 
fathers  of  the  church  could  say,  "  Thy  word  is  a 
lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  path."  "  The 
commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlightening  the 
eyes."  And  with  Theophilactus,  an  early  writer  in 
the  church,  "  The  word  of  God  is  the  candle  whereby 
the  thief  is  espied." 

St.  Augustine,  "  the  old  saint "  of  whom  you 
speak,  the  bishop  of  Hippo,  in  Africa,  a.  d.  393,  a 
most  valuable  Catholic  authority,  says  in  his  Essay ,^ 
"  Let  not  these  words  be  heard  between  us,  I  say^  or 
you  say^  let  us  rather  speak  in  this  wise,  '  Thus  saith 
the  Lord.' "  Again,  he  says  in  his  essay  against  Pe- 
tilian,  the  Donatist,  "  Sive  de  Christo,  sive  de  ejus 
Ecclesia,  sive  de  quacunque  re  alia  qusB  pertinet  ad 
fidem  vitamque  nostram  non  dicam  si  nos  sed  si  an- 
gelus  de  coelo  nobis  annunciaret  praeterquani  quod 
in  scripturibus  legalibus  et  evangelicis  accepistis 
Anathema  sit,"  virtually,  "  Let  him  be  accursed  even 
if  an  angel  from  heaven,  who  teaches  otherwise  than 
we  have  received  in  the  words  of  the  law  and  the  gos- 
pels." Here  is  the  testimony  of  a  most  learned  and 
holy  man,  the  great  warrior  and  defender  of  the 
church,  a  Catholic  saint,  the  prototype  and  model 
also,  as  the  bishop  of  Salisbury  writes  of  Luther  and 
Calvin,  and  this  last  bishop  lived  in  the  same  centmy 
with  Luther.2 

Again,  St.  Jerome  says,^  "  Sed  et  alia  quee  absque 
auctoritate  et  testimoniis  scripturarum  quasi  tra- 
ditione  apostolica   reperiunt    atque  confingunt  per- 

^  De  Unitate  Eoclesia?  against  the  Don^tlsts,  c.  3. 

^  See  Jewell's  Apology,  p.  27,  note. 

^  In  Ilia  treatise  entitled  In  primum  caput  Aggai. 


24  THE  CATHOLIC. 

cutit  gladius  dei."  "  Let  the  sword  of  the  Lord 
destroy  whatever  else  they  pretend  to  find,  or  to  rest 
on  apostolic  tradition,  without  the  sanction  of  Scrip- 
ture." 

St.  Ambrose,  bishop  of  Milan  from  375  to  397,  in 
his  letter  to  the  emperor  Gratian,  says :  ^  "  Interro- 
gentur  ScriptursB ;  interrogentur  Apostoli ;  interro- 
gentur  Prophetae  ;  interrogetur  Christus."  ^  Again, 
the  rule  for  the  modern  Christians  is  expressly  point- 
ed out  by  St.  Paul.  He  does  not  refer  us  for  our 
faith  to  the  nominee  of  an  usurper,  or  the  nominee 
of  a  conclave  of  cardinals,  guided  often  by  intrigue, 
artifice,  or  interest,  but  he  says,^  "  All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works."  And  in 
the  same  chapter,  he  tells  Timothy,  his  early  pupil, 
whose  grandmother  and  mother  were  both  devout 
Christians,  who  was  himself  the  first  bishop  of  the 
pure  church  at  Ephesus,  commended  by  Irenaeus,  as 
follows :  "  From  a  child  thou  hast  known  the  holy 
Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  sal- 
vation, throvgh  faith  vihich  is  in  Jesus  Christ." 

Guided  by  this  advice,  Timothy  presided  over  the 
church  of  Ephesus,  and  was  there  joined  by  St. 
John,  the  beloved  disciple,  who  ministered  there  until 
the  time  of  Trajan.  May  we  not  in  modern  times 
rely  on  what  St.  Paul,  St.  John,  and  their  disciple, 

^  Ad  Gratianum  de  fide,  Liber  I. 

'  Inquire  of  the  Scriptures  ;  inquire  of  the  apostles ;  inquire  of 
the  prophets ;  inquire  of  Christ. 
'2  Timothy  3:  16. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  25 

the  first  bishop  of  Ephesus,  found  sufficient  "  to 
make  one  wise  unto  salvation  ?  " 

Let  us  now  trace  the  singular  departures  of  the 
Romish  church  from  the  gospel,  the  apostles,  and 
the  early  bishops  and  fathers  of  the  church.  I  can- 
not forbear,  however,  to  preface  this  inquiry  by  two 
quotations  from  Catholic  authorities.  Fii*st,  St.  Au- 
gustine says,  "  The  church  is  to  be  shown  by  the 
sacred  and  canonical  Scriptures,  and  that  which  can- 
not be  shown  by  them,  is  not  the  church."  ^  And  St. 
Chrysostom  says,^  "  Now  can  no  man  know  which 
is  the  true  church  of  Christ,  except  by  the  Scrip- 
tures." 

But  the  Romish  church  drives  the  people  from 
these  Scriptures,  as  something  dangerous,  and  has 
dared  to  style  them  "  a  bare  letter,  uncertain,  unprofita- 
ble, killing,  and  deadP  How  much  more  reliable 
was  the  interpretation  of  a  traitor,  a  profligate,  a  here- 
tic, the  tool  of  an  usurper,  or  the  "  godless "  man, 
whom  a  Roman  pontiff  designates  as  antichrist  him- 
self? 

The  Romish  church  has  withdrawn  the  Holy 
Scriptures  as  far  as  possible  from  the  people.  Wit- 
ness the  late  acts  of  the  pope,  and  the  recent  prose- 
cutions in  Tuscany  and  Piedmont,  and  refer  to  the 
history  of  Europe  for  the  last  twelve  centuries.  Even 
while  I  write,  the  evening  papers  inform  me  that 
within  the  last  thirty  days  the  Romish  priests  have 
imprisoned  a  whole  family  in  Piedmont,  for  presum- 

^  De  Unitate  Ecclesias,  Cap.  III. :  •'  Ecclesia  ex  sacris  et  canon- 
isis  scripturis  ostendenda  est ;  quaeque  ex  illis  ostendi  non  potest 
non  est  ecclesia." 

*  In  opere  imperfect,  Horn.  49. 

3 


"26  THE  CATHOLIC. 

ing  to  read  the  translated  Scriptuxes,  and  even  our 
national  flag  has  been  lately  violated  by  the  seizure 
of  the  Bibles  in  an  American  ship  in  Sicily. 

For  the  first  two  centuries  before  the  decree  of  the 
usurper  Phocas,  the  primitive  and  universal  usage  of 
the  Catholic  churchy  was  the  stated  reading  of  the 
Scriptures  in  public  worship,  and  this  we  must  re- 
member was  before  the  day  of  printing,  and  was  the 
most  effective  mode  of  reaching  the  people.  For  this 
fact,  see  the  invaluable  treatises  of  Justin  Martyr,  con- 
verted to  Christianity  at  a  mature  age,  a.  d.  132,  who 
addressed  two  letters  in  defence  of  Christianity,  one 
in  A.  D.  150,  to  the  emperor  Antoninus,  and  the  other 
to  Marcus  Aurelius  and  the  Roman  senate.^ 

And  although  our  Saviour  gave  the  gift  of  tongues, 
that  his  apostles  might  convert  the  heathen  to  his 
faith,  the  Romish  church  withdraws  to  a  great  ex- 
tent the  Scriptures  from  the  people,  performs  most 
of  its  services  in  an  unknown  tongue,  and  relies  for 
the  conversion  of  the  people  upon  its  own  interpre- 
tation, and  trusts  to  ceremonies,  processions,  can- 
dles, incense,  oil,  salt,  holy  water,  masses,  bulls, 
indulgences,  jubilees,  purgatory,  transubstantiation, 
images,  saints,  shrines  and  orisons  to  the  Virgin, 
and  hymns  like  this, 

"  Ave  Mater  Anna, 
Plena  melle  Canna," 

for  the  salvation  of  the  soul. 

'  See  his  Apol.  2d,  and  the  citations  of  Euseblus.  For  this,  see 
also  Tertullian  in  Apol.  C.  39,  Ad  uxorem,  Lib.  IT.;  Cyprian 
Epist.  L.y.  Ep.  5  ;  Origen,  Horn.  15  in  Josuam  ;  Chrj'sostom,  Horn. 
19;  Augustine,  in  Ps.  3G ;  the  fifth  Council  of  Constantinople, 
A.  I.;  the  Council  of  Laodicea,  Canon  16. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  27 

In  opposition  to  the'  Church  of  Rome,  Irenaeus,  in 
whom  it  places  the  utmost  reliance,  about  the  year 
170,  says :  "  The  Scriptures  are  plain,  and  without 
doubtfulness,  and  may  be  heard  indifferently  of  all 
men."  ^  Clement  of  Alexandria,  one  of  the  early 
fathers,  says  in  his  Oratio  ad  Gentes,  "  Forasmuch 
as  the  word  itself  is  come  to  us  from  heaven,  we  may 
not  now  any  more  seek  after  the  doctrine  of  men." 
Chrysostom^  tells  us,  "  Thou  wilt  say,  I  have  not 
heard  the  Scriptures.  This  is  no  excuse,  but  a  sin." 
St.  Augustine  also  says,  "  The  judges  and  doctors  of 
the  church,  as  men,  are  often  deceived."  ^  Are  the 
judges  and  doctors  of  the  Romish  church  now  holier 
or  wiser  than  the  holy  fathers  in  the  days  of  St.  Au- 
gustine ?  The  same  saint,  again,  in  his  treatise 
against  the  Pelagian  heretic  Julian,  reproves  him 
severely  for  arguing  that  the  Scriptures  should  be 
read  only  by  the  learned,  and  observes,  "  You  exag- 
gerate when  you  say  how  difficult  it  is  and  how  in- 
convenient it  is  to  all  but  a  few  learned  men  to 
acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  Scripture."  *  A  doctrine 
the  saint  condemns. 

Origen  says,  "  Would  to  God  we  would  all  do 
according  as  it  is  written,  '  Search  the  Scriptures.' "  ^ 

St.  Jerome,  also,  expounding  the  words  of  the 
apostles,  "  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  plen- 
teously,"  remarks :  "  Here  we  are  taught,  that  the  lay 

^  Iren.  advs  Ilaer.  L.  I.  c.  31. 
2  Homily  17,  adHeb. 
« L.  II.  c.  2. 

* "  Exaggeras  quam  sit  difRcilis,  paucisque  conveniens  eruditis 
Banctarum  cognitio  literarum." 
*  Origen,  Horn.  2  in  Esa. 


28  THE   CATHOLIC. 

people  ought  to  have  the  Word  of  God,  not  only 
sufficiently,  but  also  with  abundance,  and  to  teach 
and  counsel  one  another."  ^ 

Such  sayings  are  common  in  the  works  of  St.  Chry- 
sostom.2  He  recommends  his  readers  "to  take  the 
Holy  Book  in  hand,  and  call  their  neighbors  about 
them,  and  refresh  their  minds."  Again,^  he  recom- 
mends them  to  "  read  the  Scriptures  at  home  before 
and  after  meals."  Again,*  he  tells  them,  "  Hearken 
not  hereto  only  in  church,  but  also  at  home.  Let 
the  husband  with  the  wife,  and  the  father  w^ith  the 
child,  talk  together  of  these  matters,  and  give  their 
judgments."  Is  not  this  conclusive  evidence,  that  the 
Chm-ch  of  Rome  in  discountenancing  the  circulation 
and  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  has  departed  alike 
from  the  precepts  and  practice  of  the  apostles  and 
early  church  ? 

In  my  next  I  will  consider  some  of  its  other  de- 
partures and  peculiar  dogmas. 

Very  sincerely  and  affectionately  yours. 

*  nieron.  in  3  Cap.  Ep.  ad  Coloss. :  strong  testimony  from  the 
writer  of  the  Vulgate. 

-  lloin.  (!  in  Gentes. 
'  Honi.  10  in  Gentes. 

*  Horn.  2  in  Johan. 


LETTER     V. 

Boston,  February  24,  1853. 

My  dear  S.  .  .  :  —  The  next  departure  from  Holy 
Writ,  made  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  to  which  I  will 
draw  your  attention,  is  the  exclusion  of  the  people 
from  the  elements  at  the  communion.  Our  Saviour 
brake  bread  and  blessed  it  and  gave  it  with  the  cup 
to  his  disciples,  the  humble  fishermen  of  Galilee,  but 
the  Romish  church  professed  to  be  wiser  than  our 
Saviour,  and  excluded  the  people  from  the  cup,  and 
in  private  masses  irom  the  bread,  which  he  bade  them 
to  take  in  remembrance  of  him. 

The  apostles  in  their  canons  cited  by  Anacletus, 
say,  1  "  Whoso  entereth  the  church,  and  heareth 
the  Scriptures,  and  receiveth  not  the  communion, 
let  him  be  excommunicated  as  a  disturber  of  the 
church  and  breaker  of  the  public  order." 

Gelasius  I.,  bishop  of  Rome  492,  says,  respecting 
the  people,  "  Aut  integra  sacramenta  percipiant  aut 
ab  integris  arceantur  quia  divisio  unius  ejusdemque 
mysterii  sine  grandi  sacrilegio  non  potest  pervenire."  ^ 

The  celebrated  letter  of  Pliny  to  the  emperor  Tra- 
jan, respecting  the  ancient   Christians,^  is   on  this 

1  Canon  10. 

^ "  Let  them  receive  the  whole  sacrament,  or  abstain  from  all,  for 
a  division  of  the  same  mystery  cannot  be  effected  without  a  great 
sacrilege." 

^  Letter  .9  7th,  2d  vol.  of  Melmoth's  Pliny. 

3*  (29) 


30  THE  CATHOLIC. 

point  worthy  of  your  attention.  It  is  written  within 
forty  years  after  the  death  of  St.  Paul,  and  was 
often  appealed  to  by  the  ancient  Christian  writ- 
ers, as  evidence  of  the  purity  of  their  doctrines 
against  the  calumnies  of  their  adversaries.  PUny 
states,  that  when  arrested,  or  summoned  before 
him,  these  Christians  affirmed  they  met  on  a  certain 
stated  day,  before  it  was  light,  and  addressed  them- 
selves in  a  form  of  prayer  to  Christ,  as  to  some  god, 
binding  themselves  by  a  solemn  oath,  not  for  any 
wicked  design,  but  never  to  commit  any  fraud,  theft, 
or  adultery,  never  to  falsify  their  word,  nor  deny  a 
trust  when  they  should  be  called  to  deliver  it  up ; 
after  which  it  was  their  custom  to  separate,  and  then 
reassemble  to  eat  in  common  a  harmless  meal.  Is 
not  this  a  strong  confirmation  from  a  learned  and 
most  reliable  pagan  philosopher,  that  all  participated 
in  the  Lord's  supper? 

The  Greek  church,  which  separated  on  the  ques- 
tion of  Easter-day  does  not  follow  the  Romish  er- 
rors in  the  administration  of  the  Eucharist.  But 
the  Church  of  Rome  has  introduced  an  innovation 
on  all  ancient  usages,  namely,  the  Mass.  In  public 
masses  the  cup  is  reserved,  and  in  private  masses 
both  cup  and  bread  are  confined  to  the  clergy. 

In  countries  where  the  Church  of  Rome  is  estab- 
lished, masses  are  bought  and  sold,  and  when  the 
communion  is  sent  to  the  sick,  it  is  borne  under  a 
canopy  in  solemn  procession,  and  all  who  pass  must 
bow  the  knee  in  adoration  to  the  bread  and  wine. 

This  brings  me  to  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantia- 
tion,  another  departure  from  the  apostles  and  ancient 
church,  under  which  departure  bread  and  wine  are 
adored.     What  sav  the  holv  fathers  to  this  doctrine  ? 


THE   CATHOLIC.  31 

St.  Ambrose  denies  the  doctrine  in  his  treatise.^ 

Gelasius,  bishop  of  Rome,  A.  d.  492,  says,^  "  Neither 
the  substance  of  the  bread,  nor  the  nature  of  the 
wine  ceases  to  be ; "  ^  conclusive  evidence  from  Rome 
herself,  and  yet  she  rejects  the  testimony  and  au- 
thority of  her  infallible  pontiff. 

Theodoret,  bishop  of  Cyricus,  in  Syria,  a.  d.  420, 
uses  this  clear  and  strong  language :  *  "  After  the 
consecration,  the  mystical  signs  do  not  cast  off  their 
own  proper  nature,  for  they  remain  still  in  their 
former  substance,  nature,  and  kindP 

Origen  confirms  this  view  in  his  Commentaries  on 
Matthew,  c.  15. 

The  eloquent  and  learned  Tertullian,  in  his  article, 
De  Resurrectione,  says :  "  Christ  is  to  be  received  in 
the  cause  of  life ;  to  be  devoured  by  hearing ;  to  be 
ruminated  upon  by  the  mind,  and  digested  by 
faith."  5 

Saint  Cyprian  (de  coena  Domini)  says :  "  Faith  is 
for  the  soul  the  same  that  food  is  for  the  flesh."  ^ 

Saint  Cyril,  bishop  of  Alexandria  from  a.  d.  412  to 
A.  D.  444,  writes  as  follows :  "^  "  Dost  thou  say  our 
sacrament  is  the  eating  of  a  man,  and  dost  thou 
irreverently  force  the  mind  of  the  faithful  into  gross 
cogitations,  and  goest  thou  about  with  natural  imag- 

^  De  Sacramento,  L.  IV. 
^  In  his  treatise  contra  Eutychetum. 
'  "  Non  desinit  esse  substantia  panis  vel  natura  vini." 
*  Opera  Tlieod.  Tom.  IV.  p.  126. 

^ "  Christus    in    causa   vitae    recipiendus,    devorandus    auditu ; 
ruminandus  intellectu ;  et  fide  digerendus  est." 
^ "  Quod  est  esca  cai-ni  hoc  est  animae  fides." 
'  Anathematismo,  II. 


32  THE  CATHOLIC. 

inations,  to  deal  with  those  things  that  are  to  be 
received  by  only  pure  and  perfect  faith." 

Leo,  bishop  of  Rome,  a.  d.  440-461,  says  r^  "  About 
this  body  gather  eagles,  which  fly  with  spiritual 
wings,  the  wings  of  faith." 

To  finish  this  point,  let  us  consult  Augustine,  that 
saint  of  the  Romish  calendar,  a  devout  man  and 
clear  witness,  as  you  describe  him.  He  tells  lis,  ^ 
"  What  we  see  is  bread ;  what  the  eyes  present  to 
us  is  the  cup ;  but  that  which  faith  would  teach  is, 
that  the  bread  is  the  body  of  Christ,  and  the  cup  his 
blood."  3  And  again  he  says,  "  Christ  has  lifted  up 
his  body  into  heaven,  fi-om  which  he  shall  come  to 
judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  There  he  is  now  sit- 
ting at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father.  How  then  is 
the  bread  his  body,  and  the  cup,  or  what  is  in  the 
cup,  how  is  it  his  blood  ?  "  Again,  *  "  We  have  no 
special  regard  to  the  bread,  wine,  or  water,  for  they 
are  creatures  corruptible^  as  well  after  consecration  as 
they  were  before,  but  we  direct  our  faith  only  unto 
the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  not  as  being 
there  really  and  fleshly  present,  but  as  sitting  in 
heaven  at  the  right  of  God  the  Father." 

What  could  be  more  clear,  what  more  explicit; 
and  yet  in  the  face  of  this  mass  of  testimony,  re- 
gardless of  ancient  popes  and  saints,  the  pope  bids 

^  Quoted  in  the  Canon  Law,  Dist  2. 

"In  sermone  ad  Infantes,  quoted  in  the  Canon  Law,  Dist.  11. 

^  "  Quod  videtur  panis  est  et  calix  quod  etiam  oculi  renuntiant. 
Quod  antem  (ides  postulat  instruenda,  panis  est  corpus  Christi ; 
Callx  Sanguis." 

*  In  Genos,  Horn.  24. 


THE  CATHOLIC.  33 

you  at  "  the  elevation  of  the  host,"  and  the  tinkling 
of  a  bell,  to  prostrate  yourself  in  adoration  of  these 
"  corruptible  creatures."  This  brings  me  to  another 
usurpation,  the  strange  doctrine  of  Pm-gatory.  Until 
the  Council  of  Trent,  three  centuries  since,  a  Roman 
Catholic  was  not  required  to  receive  it  as  an  arti- 
cle of  faith,  but  the  sale  of  masses,  pardons,  and 
indulgencies,  to  raise  funds  for  Rome,  had  been  so 
extensive  that  the  Church  of  Rome  was  then  com- 
pelled, under  the  pressure  of  the  Reformers,  to  en- 
deavor to  sustain  itself  by  adopting  Purgatory  as  an 
article  of  faith. 

You  rest  Piu-gatory  on  St.  Peter's  1st  Epistle,^ 
in  substance  as  follows :  "  That  Christ  died  for  our 
sins,  but  enlivened  in  the  spirit,  preached  to  those  spir- 
its that  were  in  prison"  To  my  mind  this  verse  is  made 
clear  by  the  verse  which  follows,  in  which  "  spirits  " 
are  spoken  of  as  disobedient  in  the  time  of  Noah,  in 
consequence  of  which  only  eight  souls  were  saved. 
St.  Peter  speaks,  also,  in  his  second  Epistle,  of  "  be- 
ing in  this  tabernacle,"  of  "  putting  off  this  taberna- 
cle himself,  as  his  Lord  Jesus  had  shown  him."  ^  He 
speaks  of  those  "  who  walk  after  the  flesh,  in  the  lust 
of  uncleanness,  as  servants  of  corruption,  for  of  whom 
a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same  is  he  brought  in  bond- 
age." The  exposition  of  the  verses  you  cite,  is,  to  my 
mind,  perfectly  easy.  In  the  time  of  Noah,  those 
spirits  imprisoned  in  the  flesh,  were  disobedient,  and 
all  perished,  except  the  eight  souls  saved  with  Noah. 
But  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  our  Saviour  having 
put  off  the  flesh,  appeared  in  his  spiritual  nature  to 

^  1  Peter  3:18:19.  *  2  Peter  2:19. 


34  ,  THE  CATHOLIC. 

his  disciples,  who  were  spirits  still  in  the  prison  of 
the  flesh,  and  preached  to  them  in  their  prison,  and 
by  his  baptism,  previously  conferred,  and  his  resur- 
rection and  ascent  into  heaven,  where  he  has  power 
over  all,  saved  them  as  God  saved  Noah  and  his  as- 
sociates in  the  ark. 

This  is  my  exposition  as  a  jurist,  and  I  expound 
the  passage  as  I  would  a  deed,  by  the  context,  and 
other  deeds  of  the  grantor ;  and  if  you  will  read  the 
third  chapter  of  St.  Peter's  first  Epistle,  from  the 
sixteenth  verse  to  the  close,  I  think  you  will  agree 
with  me,  he  is  advising  his  followers  to  keep  a  good 
conscience,  to  preserve  their  spiritual  nature  pure 
while  still  tenants  of  corruptible  flesh,  and  still 
prisoners  here ;  for  Christ  suffered  for  them,  appeared 
and  preached  to  them,  and  ascended  into  heaven, 
where  he  has  power  to  save  those  who  obey,  as  Noah 
saved  the  righteous  few  in  his  ark.  But  is  the  un- 
natural, or  at  least  doubtful,  exposition  of  a  single 
verse  by  the  Roman  See,  an  exposition  apparently 
bent  to  a  particular  purpose,  and  not  sustained  by 
our  Saviour  or  his  apostles  in  any  other  part  of  the 
gospels,  a  sufficient  basis  for  the  doctrine  of  Pur- 
gatory ?  The  Greek,  or  Eastern  church,  now  estab- 
lished in  Russia,  Austria,  Turkey,  and  Greece,  does 
not  admit  the  doctrine  of  Purgatory,  and  yet  th6 
Eastern  and  Western  bishops  differed  principally,  if 
not  entirely,  on  the  question  of  Easter-day,  when  the 
two  churches  separated.  May  we  not  safely  infer 
from  this  fact,  that  it  is  an  innovation  of  the  West- 
ern church  ?  But  you  think  that  Purgatory  has  been 
admitted  by  the  holy  fathers.  If  so,  where  and 
when  ?     St.  Augustine  certainly  knew  of  no  such 


THE   CATHOLIC.  35 

admission,  and  could  not  convince  himself  of  its 
truth ;  he  says,  "  that  such  a  thing  may  be  after  this 
life,  is  not  incredible."  "  But  what  means  this,"  he 
adds,  "  and  what  sins  be  there  which  so  prevent  men 
from  coming  into  the  kingdom  of  God  that  they 
may  notwithstanding  obtain  pardon  by  the  merits  of 
holy  friends,  it  is  very  hard  to  find,  and  very  danger- 
ous to  determine.  Certainly,  I  myself,  notwithstand- 
ing great  study  and  travail  in  that  behalf,  could 
never  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  it."  Again,  he 
says,  "  For  such  as  every  man  in  this  day  shall  die, 
even  such  on  that  day  shall  he  be  judged." 

And  to  this  effect  elsewhere.^ 

Surely  St.  Augustine  did  not  put  the  Romish  con- 
struction on  the  verse  in  Peter,  or  see  his  way  clear 
to  believe  in  Purgatory.  If  it  rests  neither  on  Scrip- 
ture, or  the  early  canons  and  councils  of  the  church, 
and  I  refer  you  to  each,  is  it  not  a  Romish  innova- 
tion upon  Holy  Writ  ? 

I  will  discuss  other  errors  of  Rome  in  subsequent 
letters. 

Very  sincerely  and  affectionately  yours. 

^  De  comitate  Dei,  Epistolaj  80,  Horn.  11,  In  apocalyps.  Ad  Pe- 
trum,  Cap  3,  In  Johan.  Tract  49. 


LETTER    VI. 

Boston,  February  25,  1853. 

My  Dear  S.  .  .  :  —  In  my  preceding  letter  I  ad- 
verted to  the  errors  of  Rome,  in  partially  withhold 
ing  the  Lord's  supper  from  the  people,  in  the  adora- 
tion of  mere  bread  and  wine,  and  in  the  adoption  of 
Purgatory,  as  an  article  of  faith,  for  which  St.  Au- 
gustine can  find  no  authority.  Let  us  now  consider 
the  supremacy  and  infallibility  claimed  for  the 
pope.  I  am  aware  the  Romish  church  divides  on 
this  question  into  the  Cisalpine  and  Transalpine 
parties.  A  portion,  including  the  monarchs  and 
bishops  of  France,  restrain  such  prerogative,  and 
require  the  concurrence  of  general  councils  in  new 
articles  of  faith.  Both  parties,  however,  claim  to  be 
Roman  Catholics.  I  might  well  ask  whether  this 
schism  is  not  quite  as  serious,  as  some  of  the  ques- 
tions which  divide  the  Protestants,  the  question  of  a 
liturgy  or  oral  prayers,  the  question  of  baptism  by 
sprinkling  or  immersion,  or  the  government  by  pres- 
byters or  bishops  with  a  council  in  either  case.  I 
will  not  pause  to  dwell  on  this  point,  but  will  con- 
sider the  doctrine  of  a  large  portion  of  the  Church 
of  Rome,  that  the  pope  is  personally  infallible,  and 
also,  by  divine  right  supreme. 

The   man   who  joins    the    Roman    Catholics,   is 
obliged  "  publicly  to  repeat  and  certify  his  assent 

(36) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  37 

to  its  creed,  without  qualification  and  restriction." 
That  creed  contains  the  following  sentence  :  — 

"  I  promise  (or  swear)  true  obedience  to  the  Roman 
bishop,  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  the  prince  of  the 
apostles  and  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ."  And  the  fur- 
ther sentence,  "  This  true  Catholic  faith,  out  of  which 
none  can  be  saved,  which  I  now  freely  profess  and 
truly  hold,  I,  A.  B.,  or  C.  D.,  promise,  now  and 
ever,  most  constantly  to  hold  and  profess,  whole  and 
entire,  with  God's  assistance,  to  the  end  of  my  life." 

What  is  this  power  to  be  obeyed  to  the  end  of  life, 
as  held  and  exercised  by  the  popes  of  Rome  ? 

The  above  creed  "  was  set  forth  "  by  Pope  Pius 
IV.  A.  D.  1564,  as  the  universally  received  summary 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  system.^ 

His  successor,  Pius  V.,  by  a  bull  issued  under  his 
plenary  power,  undertook  to  depose  Queen  Elizabeth, 
and  absolve  her  subjects  from  allegiance,  and  the 
Roman  Catholic  prelates  generally  acquiesced.  Here 
is  an  illustration  of  the  temporal  power,  claimed  and 
exercised  by  the  pope,  whom  the  Roman  Catholic 
swears  to  obey. 

As  to  his  spiritual  power,  Butler,  a  modern  and 
able  Roman  Catholic,  in  his  work  published  a  few 
years  since,^  defines  the  spiritual  power  of  the  pope 
as  follows :  — 

"  It  is  an  article  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  that 
the  pope  has  by  divine  right,  first,  a  supremacy  of 
rank;  second,  a  supremacy  of  jurisdiction  in  the 
spiritual  concerns  of  the   Roman   Catholic  church, 

^  See  the  Church  of  Rome,  by  Bishop  Hopkins,  p.  336. 

*  Entitled  the  "Book  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,"  p.  114. 

4 


38  THE   CATHOLIC. 

and  third,  the  principal  authority  in  defining  articles 
of  faith.  In  consequence  of  these  prerogatives,  the 
pope  holds  a  rank  splendidly  preeminent  over  the 
highest  dignitaries  of  the  church ;  has  a  right  to  con- 
vene councils,  and  preside  over  them  by  himself  or 
his  legates,  and  confirm  the  election  of  bishops. 
Every  ecclesiastical  cause  may  be  brought  to  him  as 
the  last  resort  by  appeal ;  he  may  promulgate  defini- 
tions and  formularies  of  faith  to  the  universal 
church,  and  when  the  general  body  or  a  great  ma- 
jority of  her  prelates  have  assented  to  them,  either 
by  formal  consent,  or  tacit  assent,  all  are  bound  to 
acquiesce  in  them.  Rome,  they  say  in  such  a  case, 
has  spoken,  and  the  cause  is  determined." 

The  Transalpine  party  go  much  further.  Prienas, 
the  champion  of  the  pope  against  Luther,  who  died 
A.  D.  1523,  used  even  stronger  language  :  "  Indulgen- 
ces are  not  known  to  us  by  the  authority  of  the 
Scriptures,  but  by  the  authority  of  the  Roman 
church,  and  of  the  bishops  of  Rome,  which  is 
greater."  ^  It  is  unnecessary  to  follow  out  the  trans- 
alpine theories  to  their  fuU  extent,  for  without  them 
we  have  shown  the  nature  and  extent  of  this  su- 
premacy and  infallibility. 

Claiming  to  represent  the  humble  fisherman,  St. 
Peter,  who,  apostle  as  he  was,  erred  more  than  once, 
both  before  and  after  the  crucifixion,  and  who  de- 
served as  Avell  as  received  the  rebuke  of  both  our 
Saviour  and  St.  Paul,  the  bishops  of  Rome  have 
in  the  seventh  century  first  denounced,  and  then 
grasped  at  the  rank  of  universal  bishops.    Commenc- 

'  Prienas  con.  Lutherum. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  39 

ing  with  no  territory  in  the  eighth  century,  and  acquir- 
ing by  gift,  first  Ravenna,  and  by  slow  degrees  the 
other  States  of  the  church,  during  ages  debased  by 
ignorance,  the  parent  of  superstition,  we  find  them, 
in  1564,  wielding  alike  the  civil  and  spiritual  sword, 
subjecting  Holy  Writ  to  their  dominion,  and  arrogat- 
ing in  addition  the  power  to  depose  monarchs,  and 
absolve  subjects  from  their  allegiance,  and  find  the 
Romish  church  assenting,  if  not  approving. 

What  intelligent  American,  who  respects  the  words 
of  Holy  Writ,  the  precepts  of  the  apostles,  the  testi- 
mony of  the  fathers,  who  loves  his  country,  reveres 
her  laws,  takes  pride  in  her  independence,  who  is 
"  bound  to  swear  to  the  words  of  no  master,"  ^  who 
would  not  change  his  creed  or  his  faith  at  the  bid- 
ding of  others,  and  who,  if  he  joins  the  Church  of 
Rome,  cannot  obey  his  future  convictions  of  duty, 
without  becoming  an  apostate,  would  venture  to 
adopt  and  profess  the  Roman  Catholic  faith  in  the 
nineteenth  century  ?  Recur  to  the  past.  Have  your 
opinions  been  so  unchangeable,  and  your  obedience 
so  exact,  and  is  your  knowledge  at  seventeen  so  per- 
fect, that  you  have  entire  confidence  in  yourself  for 
the  whole  residue  of  life  ? 

Compare  for  a  moment  the  meek  bishop  of  Rome 
in  the  second  century,  with  the  proud  pontiff  of 
modern  times,  "  elected  by  cardinals,  who  place  him 
on  the  high  altar,  thrice  bow  their  knees  to  him  in 
adoration^  then  bear  him  to  a  throne,  place  on  his 
head  the  triple  crown,  and  remind  him  that  he  is  the 

* "  NuUius  addictus  jurare  in  verba  magistri."  —  Juvenal. 


40  THE   CATHOLIC. 

father  of  princes  and  kings,  and  the  ruler  of  the 
world,  the  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour."  Where 
was  the  tiara,  the  sword  of  church  and  state,  where 
the  ruler  of  the  world,  when  the  blessed  Basil, 
bishop  of  Cappadocia  A.  D.  370,  writes  to  the  blessed 
Athanasius,  pope  of  Alexandria,  to  interest  the 
bishops  of  the  Western  Empire  in  behalf  of  their 
Eastern  brethren,  and  urges,  "  Who  is  more  influen- 
tial in  performing  such  a  design  than  thou,  who  is 
more  acute  in  discovering  what  is  expedient,  who 
more  efficient  in  performing  what  is  profitable,  who 
more  prone  to  grieve  for  the  afflictions  of  his  breth- 
ren ?  What  is  more  highly  venerated  than  thi/  hoary 
head  by  the  whole  Western  church  ?  "  "  Send  some 
men  from  thy  church  who  are  powerful  in  sound 
doctrines  to  the  Western  bishops."  In  the  same  let- 
ter, St.  Basil  speaks  of  the  church  of  Antioch,  as 
"  the  head  of  the  churches,"  and  of  the  church  of 
Nicopolis,  as  the  "  Mother  church."  ^  Why  is  there 
not  here  some  slight  allusion  to  Rome,  or  to  her 
sovereign  pontiff,  if  he  then  existed  as  a  power  suf- 
ficient to  influence  and  guide  the  Western  bishops  ? 
Where  were  the  supremacy  and  infallibility  of 
Rome,  when  the  "  most  blessed  Jerome "  wrote, 
about  the  close  of  the  fourth  century,  as  follows: 
"  Gaul  and  Britain,  Africa,  India,  and  the  East,  and 
all  the  barbarous  nations  adore  one  Christ,  observe 
one  rule  of  truth ;  if  authority  is  sought  for,  the 
world  is  greater  than  one  city ;  wherever  there  is  a 
bishop,  whether   at  Rome,  or  Eugubium,  or  Con- 

'  See  Basil,  Ep.  Athanasio  Opera  Omnia,  Vol.  III.  p.  159. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  41 

stantinople,  or  Rhegium,  or  Alexandria,  or  Sardis,  he 
is  of  the  same  excellency,  of  the  same  episcopate."  ^ 

By  Butler's  summary  of  the  universal  doctrine  of 
the  Roman  Catholics  as  to  the  supremacy,  we  see 
the  power  is  now  conceded  to  the  pope  of  Rome,  by 
all  Roman  Catholics,  to  convene  councils  and  pre- 
side over  them  himself  or  by  his  legates,  but  the 
blessed  Athanasius,  who  shone  at  the  great  Councils 
of  Nice  and  Sardis,  attended  by  more  than  three 
hundred  bishops,  informs  us  they  were  both  called 
by  the  emperor ;  that  the  bishop  of  Rome  attended 
both  by  his  legates,  and  on  both  occasions  the  ven- 
erable Hosius,  a  bishop  of  Spain,  who  must  have 
represented  one  of  St.  Paul's  churches,  presided, 
while  the  Emperor  Constantine  addresses  Athanasius 
as  Pope  Athanasius.  History  is  silent  as  to  the  pre- 
tensions of  the  see  of  Rome  to  infallibility  and  su- 
premacy at  these  celebrated  councils.  What  a 
contrast  do  they  present  to  the  Council  of  Trent  and 
the  modern  claims  of  the  "  ruler  of  the  world ! " 

And  when  we  see  this  pretended  "  ruler  of  the 
world,"  seated  as  he  is,  at  his  coronation,  on  the  high 
altar  of  St.  Peters,  and  the  cardinals  kneeling  before 
him  in  adoration ;  when  we  see  in  the  Clementines 
and  decretals,  sanctioned  by  the  popes,  and  cited  by 
Jewell,  such  expressions  as  these,  "  The  pope  is  not 
man,"  "  The  pope  is  the  wonder  of  the  world," 
"  Stupor  Mundi,"  "  Our  Lord  God  the  pope." 
When  we  read  the  profane  language  of  his  cham- 
pions, Marcellus,  Cardellus,  and  Angellus,  "  Thou 
art  another   God  on  earth,"  "  Purgatory  is  the  do- 

Hieron.  Evagrio  Opera  Omnia,  Vol.  11.  p.  221. 

4* 


42  THE   CATHOLIC. 

main  of  the  pope,"  "  A  terrestrial  God,"  what  think 
you  of  the  prophecy  of  St.  Paul,i  that  before  the 
day  of  Christ  there  shall  "  come  a  falling  away,  and 
the  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  son  of  perdition,  who 
opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is  called 
God,  or  that  is  w^orshipped ;  so  that  he  as  God,  sit- 
teth  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  that  he  is 
God."  "  Even  him  whose  coming  is  after  the  working 
of  Satan,  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  won- 
ders, and  with  all  the  deceivableness  of  unrighteous- 
ness in  them  that  perish ; "  "  and  for  this  cause  God 
shall  send  them  strong  delusions  that  they  should  be- 
lieve a  lie."  "  Therefore,  brethren,  stand  fast,  and  hold 
the  traditions  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by 
word  or  our  epistle."  And  is  there  not  reason  to 
apply  the  predictions  of  St.  Peter  himself  against  his 
successors,^  in  which  he  counsels  his  followers  "  to 
add  to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue  knowledge," 
and  other  acquirements ;  "  for  if  ye  do  these  things 
ye  shall  never  fall ; "  for  "  there  shall  be  false  teach- 
ers among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring  in  damnable 
heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them," 
"  and  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious  ways,"  and 
"  through  covetousness  shall  they  with  feigned  words 
make  merchandise  of  you."  Does  St.  Peter,  when 
he  speaks  of  adding  to  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue 
knowledge,  sanction  the  dogma  of  Rome  that  "  ig- 
norance is  the  mother  of  devotion,"  and  when  he 
speaks  of  damnable  heresies  to  be  avoided  by  faith, 
virtue,  and  knowledge,  and  speaks  of  those  who 
shall  deny  the  Lord,  and  with  feigned  words  make 

'  2  Thessalonians  2 :  3,  4,  9,  10,  11,  15. 
^  2  Peter  1 :  5,  6,  ,7,  8,  10,  and  2 :  1-3. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  43 

merchandise  of  man,  does  he  not  caution  his  follow- 
ers against  the  dangers  of  ignorance  as  well  as  vice ; 
against  those  who  exalt  the  creature  above  the 
Creator,  and  against  those  who  by  pardons,  indul- 
gences and  masses,  shrines,  relics,  crosiers,  and  tiaras, 
by  images,  candles,  and  purgatory,  make  merchan- 
dise of  men  ?  Should  not  the  sinner,  to  save  himself, 
instead  of  listening  to  feigned  words,  add  to  his 
faith  knowledge  and  virtue,  and  hold  fast  to  the 
word  and  the  epistles  of  the  apostles  ? 

And  let  me  ask  you  when  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  adopts  as  an  article  of  its  faith  in  modern 
times,  the  supremacy  of  the  pope,  claimed  and 
exercised  by  that  prelate,  and  the  further  articles 
of  purgatory  and  transubstantiation,  can  you  say 
with  confidence  that  "  church  has  not  varied  one 
iota  in  the  faith  from  the  time  of  the  apostles 
down  ?  " 

But  the  topic  is  exhausted.  Let  us  pass  to  the 
adoration  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  of  saints,  images, 
shrines,  and  relics,  as  practised  by  the  Church  of 
Rome,  abuses  which  crept  into  the  church  during  the 
ages  of  superstition  and  barbarism ;  when  the  Roman 
Catholics  held  that  "  ignorance  was  the  mother  of 
devotion ; "  that  "  ignorance  highly  pleaseth  God 
and  is  sufficient  to  salvation,"  or,  as  Cardinal  Cu- 
sanus  expresses  it,  "  Irrational  obedience  is  the  most 
perfect  obedience."  ^ 

But  these  topics  must  prolong  my  correspondence 
to  another  letter. 

Yours,  truly  and  aflfectionately. 

^ "  Obediontia  irrationalis  est  consummata  obedientia."  Nicol. 
Cusan.  Excit.  L.  VI.  Ubi  Ecclesia. 


LETTER   VII. 

BosTOJf,  February  26,  1853. 

My  dear  S.  . . :  —  In  my  preceding  letters  I  pointed 
out  to  you  how  much  the  supremacy  and  infallibil- 
ity of  the  popes  of  Rome  were  at  variance  with  the 
pretensions  of  St.  Peter,  both  before  and  after  the 
crucifixion  ;  how  much  they  conflicted  with  the  equal 
rights  conferred  on  both  Western  and  Eastern  bish- 
ops before  the  Council  of  Nice ;  and  how  far  they 
exceeded  the  very  equal  and  moderate  power  given 
by  that  great  Council  of  Bishops,  over  which  Hosius, 
of  Spain,  presided,  to  the  patriarchs  of  Rome,  Alex- 
andria, Antioch,  and  Jerusalem.  I  showed  you  also 
how  the  See  of  Rome,  gradually  extending  its  arms 
and  its  cMims  during  ages  of  barbarism  and  super- 
stition, has  created  a  sovereign  who  assumes  the 
triple  crown,  the  civil  and  spiritual  sword,  arrogates 
the  power  to  depose  sovereigns,  to  absolve  subjects 
from  allegiance,  receives  adoration  on  the  high  altar 
of  our  Lord,  a  sovereign  to  whom,  if  you  join  the 
Church  of  Rome,  you  are  to  promise  or  swear  im- 
plicit and  enduring  obedience. 

Let  us  now  glance  at  some  of  the  abuses  which 
the  usurper  has  sanctioned  in  his  path  to  power. 
Let  us  consider  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  of 
saints,  images,  relics,  and  shrines. 

St.  Paul,  in  Holy  Writ,  gives  the  assurance  that 

(44) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  45 

"  Neither  have  we  any  other  Mediator  and  Interces- 
sor by  whom  we  may  have  access  to  God  the 
Father,  but  only  Jesus  Christ :  in  whose  name  only 
all  things  are  obtained  at  his  Father's  hands."  ^ 

But  the  Church  of  Rome  worships  the  Virgin 
Mary,  and  allows  such  adoration  to  be  offered  to  her 
as  follows :  — 

"  Holy  Mother  of  God,  who  hast  worthily  merited 
to  conceive  him  whom  the  whole  world  could  not 
comprehend,  by  thy  pious  intervention,  wash  away  our " 
sins,  that  so  being  redeemed  by  thee  we  may  be  able 
to  ascend  to  the  seat  of  everlasting  glory,  where 
thou  abidest  with  thy  son  forever."  ^ 

And  again  a  similar  worship  and  prayer :  — 

"  Let  our  voice  first  celebrate  Mary,  through  whom 
the  rewards  of  life  are  given  unto  us.  O  queen,  thou 
who  art  a  mother  and  yet  a  chaste  virgin,  pardon  our 
sins  through  thy  son."^  Even  Cardinal  Bembus, 
the  pope's  secretary,  in  an  official  letter  to  Charles 
v.,  the  great  Emperor  of  Spain  and  Germany ,4  calls 
the  virgin  "  our  lady  and  goddess."  And  the  sea- 
man when  he  commenced  his  voyage,  the  palmer 
when  he  began  his  pilgrimage,  and  the  knight  when 
he  went  forth  to  fight  the  Saracen,  were  sent  to  pay 
their  orisons  at  her  shrine,  and  to  bow  before  her 
image. 

Again,  the  churches  have  been  filled  with  her  pic- 
tures and  statues,  and  with  images  of  saints.  A 
patron  saint  has  been  found  for  nearly  every  Roman 

^  See  1  Timothy  2:  5.     Rom.  8:  34.    Eph.  2:  18.     3:  12. 

^  See  Collect  in  Hor.  Paris,  Fol.  4. 

8  Ibid.  Fol.  80. 

*  Bembus,  in  Epist.  ad  Carol.  V. 


46  THE   CATHOLIC. 

Catholic  village,  and  saints  have  been  recognized  for 
various  diseases,  to  whom  sufferers  are  encouraged  to 
addi'ess  prayers^  and  to  make  votive  offerings  if  relief 
be  obtained.  The  images  of  the  virgin,  and  saints 
with  their  shrines,  like  the  statues  of  the  heathen 
divinities,  and  like  the  shrine  of  the  chaste  goddess 
Diana  at  Ephesus,  against  which  St.  Paul  bore  wit- 
ness, have  been  fashioned  from  precious  metals,  and 
decorated  with  gold,  silver,  and  jewels. 

Statues  and  images  are  borne  in  solemn  procession 
through  churches  and  streets,  with  pomp,  ceremony, 
and  display.  "Waxen  candles  have  been  burned  before 
them,  while  salt,  oil,  legends,  and  relics,  real  or  pre- 
tended, have  been,  and  are  still  used  with  imposing 
ceremonies,  to  impress  the  ignorant  and  supersti- 
tious. 

Now  let  me  ask  you,  because  the  Holy  Virgin  is 
said  in  Holy  Writ  to  be  blessed  among  women,  and 
is  called  blessed  in  our  prayerbook,  and  in  the  writ- 
ings of  St.  Augustine,  does  it  follow,  as  a  necessary 
consequence,  that  she  is  to  be  made  the  queen  of 
heaven,  created  a  deity  and  a  goddess,  endowed  with 
the  power  of  pardoning  sins,  and  that  the  follower 
of  Christ  must  bow  his  knee  before  her  image  and 
shrine,  enriched  with  gold  and  jewels,  like  those  of 
the  Virgin  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,  and  is  he  to  pre- 
sent iiis  gifts  at  her  altar,  and  offer  up  his  adoration 
to  her  image,  or  herself? 

If  this  homage  was  sanctioned  by  our  Saviour 
or  his  apostles,  or  authorized  by  the  councils  of 
the  Catholic  church  during  the  first  two  centuries, 
refer  me  to  the  authorities.  As  respects  the  use 
of  images  in  churches,  not  only  is  it  against  the 


THE    CATHOLIC.  47 

language  of  Scripture,  but  the  Council  convened 
at  Grenada,  Spain,  about  A.  d.  300,  and  still  held 
in  high  respect,  condemn  the  practice.  The  blessed 
Augustine,  Tertullian,  Lactantius,  with  Theodorus, 
bishop  of  Ancyra,  join  in  the  condemnation  of  such 
a  usage ;  and  Epiphanius,  bishop  of  Salamis,  in 
Cyprus,  where  St.  Paul  planted  a  church,  who  died 
about  the  age  of  seventy,  a.d.  403,  on  his  return 
from  Constantinople,  writes  as  follows :  "  My  chil- 
dren, be  mindful  that  ye  bring  no  images  into  the 
churches,  and  that  ye  erect  none  in  the  cemeteries 
of  the  saints,  but  evermore  carry  God  in  your 
hearts.  Nay,  suifer  not  images  to  be ;  no  not  in 
your  private  houses,  for  it  is  not  lawful  to  lead  a 
Christian  man  by  his  eyes,  but  rather  by  the  study 
and  exercise  of  his  mind."  ^ 

The  same  bishop  adds  in  a  passage  cited  on  the 
same  page,  "  Therefore  when  I  saw  the  image  of  a 
man  to  hang  in  the  church  of  Christ,  contrary  to  the 
commandment  of  Scriptures,  I  tare  it  in  sunder,  and 
gave  counsel  to  the  wardens  of  that  church  that  they 
should  wind  and  bury  some  poor  body  in  it."  A 
very  summary  act  of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  and 
certainly  a  novel  use  for  paintings. 

The  introduction  of  images  appears  to  have  had 
little  countenance  from  the  church,  until  the  Empress 
Irene,  after  the  pope  of  Rome  assumed  the  title  of 
Catholic,  convened  the  second  Council  of  Nice,  as 
late  as  a.  d.  787,  and  awed  that  tumultuous  meeting 
into  a  compliance  with  her  wishes.  The  Council  of 
Frankfort,  a.  d.  794,  approved  a  book  of  the  Emperor 

*  Epiphanius,  cited  in  Jewell's  Apology,  page  150. 


48  THE  CATHOLIC. 

Charlemagne,  censuring  the  decision  of  the  second 
Council  of  Nice,  and  forbidding  the  worship  of  images. 
And  do  you  not  discover  in  the  use  of  images  in 
churches  a  conformity  to  the  heathens,  whose  divini- 
ties had  their  statues  of  gold  and  marble  ? 

By  the  host  held  on  high,  and  borne  in  solemn 
procession  through  the  streets,  are  you  not  reminded 
of  the  sacred  fire  of  the  Persians,  which  they  termed 
Orimasda,  their  god,  and  which  their  kings  used  to 
carry  before  them  on  horseback?  And  do  not  thtr 
waxen  candles  remind  you  of  the  vestal  fires  of  the 
pagan  Romans  ?  Has  not  the  church  lent  itself  to 
their  idolatry  to  increase  its  influence  ?  Give  me,  if 
you  can,  the  sanction  of  our  Saviour  or  his  apostles 
for  the  adoration  of  the  virgin  or  the  saints,  for 
kneeling  before  their  shrines  or  images,  or  decorating 
them  with  gold,  silver,  or  votive  offerings,  or  approv- 
ing of  palls,  mitres,  crosiers,  or  tiaras,  or  of  indul- 
gences and  purgatory,  of  relics,  shrines,  and  waxen 
candles,  of  innumerable  holidays,  carnivals,  and  jubi- 
lees, and  last,  not  least,  directing  the  elevation  and 
adoration  of  the  host. 

I  pass  to  the  next  important  topic,  the  celibacy  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  clergy.  We  have  the  authority 
of  Holy  Writ  for  the  fact  that  St.  Peter,  the  alleged 
founder  wad  first  prelate  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  was 
himself  a  married  man,  for  we  find  ^  that  when  Jesus 
was  come  unto  Peter's  house,  "  He  saw  his  vnfe's 
mother  laid  and  sick  of  a  fever,  and  he  touched  her 
hand  and  the  fever  left  her,  and  she  arose  and  minis- 
tered unto  them."     He  mentions  also  his  son  Mar- 

*  Matthew  8  :  14. 


THE  CATHOLIC.  49 

cus.i  This,  however,  may  have  been  Mark,  the 
apostle.  St.  Peter,  also,^  speaks  of  the  marriage 
state  as  honorable,  for  he  names,  among  the  holy 
women  of  old  who  trusted  in  the  Lord,  Sarah,  who 
obeyed  her  husband  Abraham,  God's  chosen  prophet 
and  minister.  He  directs  wives  to  be  chaste  and 
gentle,  to  obey  their  husbands,  and  thus  win  them  to 
the  truth,  and  to  seek  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and 
quiet  spirit,  a  priceless  jewel  in  the  sight  of  God, 
preferable  to  plaiting  the  hair,  or  wearing  of  gold  or 
apparel.  He  counsels  husbands  to  honor  and  dwell 
with  their  wives  as  common  heirs  of  the  grace  of 
life,  so  that  their  prayers  be  not  hindered,  and  ^  coun- 
sels all  he  addresses  "  to  be  ready  to  give  an  answer 
to  every  one  that  asketh  them  for  the  hope  that  is  in 
them."  And  St.  Paul,  addressing  Timothy  in  one 
of  the  Eastern  churches,  whose  observances  the 
Greek  church  now  follows,  writes,  "  A  bishop  then 
must  be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife."  *  The 
early  historians  of  the  church,  Sozemen  and  Theophy- 
lactus,  commend  the  marriage  of  the  clergy,  and  two 
of  the  earliest  provincial  councils  held  at  Ancyra  and 
Gangra  in  Paphligonia,  the  latter  A.  D.  360 ;  and  some 
of  the  earliest  canons  of  the  Eastern  churches  au- 
thorize the  marriage  of  men  in  holy  orders.  Some 
learned  doctors  among  the  Roman  Catholics  admit 
that  the  marriage  of  the  clergy  was  lawful  imtil  the 
era  of  Pope  Siricus,  bishop  of  Rome,  a.  d.  385. 

The  blessed  Chrysostom,  who  lived  twenty  years 
after  this  period,  expressly  says,  that "  It  is  an  honest 

M  Peter  5:  13.  « Ibid.  3  :  1-6. 

"Ibid.  3:1G,  *1  Timothy  3:  2. 


50  THE   CATHOLIC. 

and  lawful  thing  for  a  man  living  in  matrimony,  to 
take  upon  him  therewith  the  dignity  of  a  bishop." 
Chrysostom  was  himself  a  presbyter  of  Antioch,  one 
of  the  most  ancient  seats  of  Christianity,  and  subse- 
quently bishop  of  Constantinople,  the  seat  of  empire. 
I  find  by  reference  to  the  standard  work-of  McCul- 
loch,  that  in  Russia,  which  a.  d.  1838  contained  fifty- 
nine  millions  of  people,  more  than  fifty  millions 
were  of  the  Greek  church,  and  the  residue  either 
Lutherans,  Mahometans,  or  Pagans,  with  some 
Catholics,  principally  in  the  provinces  last  conquered. 
I  find  it  there  stated,  under  the  head  of  religion,  that 
the  uniform  practice  in  the  Greek  church,  is  for  those 
taking  holy  orders  to  marry.  Indeed,  the  canon  law 
is  so  imperative,  that  no  priest  or  bishop  is  allowed 
to  officiate  until  he  enters  the  holy  state  of  marriage, 
and  upon  the  death  of  his  wife,  is  suspended  until 
he  man-ies  again.  The  church  is  guided  by  a  patri- 
arch, whose  predecessor  removed  to  Russia  from 
Constantinople  upon  the  fall  of  the  Greek  empire. 
And  it  is  well  understood  that  the  female  members 
of  the  Greek  church,  stand  higher  with  respect  to 
chastity,  than  females  in  Roman  Catholic  countries. 
If,  then,  the  theory  of  the  Romish  church  should  be 
assumed  to  be  true,  that  our  Saviour  selected  Peter 
to  be  the  future  ruler  of  his  church,  and  intrusted  to 
him  the  gates  of  heaven,  he  selected  for  the  first 
prelate  a  married  man,  one  who  approved  of  mar- 
riage in  the  clergy,  for  he  refers  to  Abraham,  God's 
chosen  prophet  and  minister,  who  was  ready  to  sac- 
rifice his  son  Isaac  upon  the  altar,  and  refers  also 
to  Sarah,  his  holy  wife,  and  bids  the  husbands  to 
"  honor  and  dwell  with  their  wives,  the  coheirs  of 
salvation." 


THE   CATHOLIC.  51 

Does  not  Peter,  by  his  example,  his  citation.^  and 
his  precepts,  clearly  show  that  bishops  and  priests 
may  marry ;  and  are  his  successors  holier  than  their 
alleged  first  bishop,  the  first  and  oldest  apostle  of  our 
Saviour,  or  more  deserving  of  respect  than  the  holy 
fathers  who  lived  before  the  inroads  of  barbarism, 
and  were  accustomed  to  visit  the  churches  planted 
by  the  apostles? 

Again,  let  us  recur  to  the  fact,  that  Greek  and 
Romish  churches  were  governed  by  the  same  coun- 
cils and  rules,  until  they  separated  upon  the  mere 
question  of  Easter-day.  In  the  words  of  the  blessed 
Jerome,  "  Gaul  and  Britain  and  Africa,  the  East, 
and  India,  and  all  the  barbarous  nations  adored  one 
Christ,  and  observed  one  rule  of  truth  in  the  early 
ages  of  Christianity,"  and  you  observe  he  includes 
"  the  British  almost  severed  from  the  world."  ^  In 
the  Greek  church,  the  marriage  of  the  clergy  is  not 
only  authorized,  but  absolutely  required.  Now  if  we 
find  that  the  mamage  of  the  clergy  has  been  found 
conducive  to  virtue,  and  a  check  to  profligacy ;  if  we 
see  a  precedent  for  it  in  the  party  alleged  to  be  the 
first  primate  of  Rome,  and  in  the  precepts  of  St. 
Peter;  if  we  find  further,  that  the  bishops  of  the 
Greek  churches,  the  modern  representative  of  the 
Eastern,  uniformly  adhere  to  the  ancient  usage,  have 
we  not  an  accumulation  of  evidence  that  the  Romish 
church  has  departed  from  the  truth  ? 

And  whether  you  ascribe  it  to  the  ascetic  rules  of 
monks,  who  aspired  to  unusual  sanctity  in  the  dark 
ages,  to   a  desire   to   sink   all  worldly  and   carnal 

1 «  Et  penitus  toto  divisis  orbe  Britannis." 


6S  THE  CATHOLIC. 

thoughts  in  a  devotion  to  God,  or,  what  may  well  be 
argued  firom  established  facts,  to  a  deep  design  on 
the  part  of  the  Roman  pontiffs,  to  secure  a  devotion 
to  the  advancement  of  their  power,  the  constrained 
celibacy  of  the  clergy  has  no  sanction  in  the  early 
church.  Indeed,  such  departures  from  the  truth  are 
predicted  by  the  great  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  in- 
spired by  a  heavenly  vision,  who  foretells  ^  "  That  in 
the  latter  days  some  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giv- 
ing heed  to  seducing  spirits,  forbidding  to  marry, 
and  commanding  to  abstain  from  meats,  which  God 
has  created  to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  them 
which  believe  and  know  the  truth." 

lii  .my  next  letters  I  will  notice  your  replies,  and 
draw  a  few  deductions  firom  the  errors  of  Rome. 
Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 

n  Timothy  4:  1,3. 


LETTER    VIII. 

Boston,  February  27,  1853. 
My  dear  S.  . . :  —  I  acknowledge  your  several  letters 
of  February  14th,  19th,  an^  24th,  to  which  I  propose 
to  reply  seriatim^  after  disposing  of  all  that  remains 
of  your  letter  of  the  4th  current,  in  which  you  ad- 
vance the  following  bold  propositions,  namely,  that 
the. Church  of  Rome  is 

1.  The  only  universal  or  Catholic  church. 

2.  The  only  apostolic  or  primitive  church. 

3.  The  only  church  which  has  preserved  its  unity. 

4.  That  no  dissenters  from  the  authority  of  the 
pope  existed  before  the  time  of  Luther. 

5.  That  the  Catholic  church  has  not  varied  one 
iota  in  the  faith  from  the  time  of  the  apostles. 

6.  That  if  you  can  be  shown  one  pl«ce  (where 
men  have  any  idea  of  the  Christian  religion)  where 
Roman  Catholicism  does  not  exist,  you  will  be  a 
Protestant. 

7.  That  the  Episcopal  church  has  neither  unity, 
catholicity,  nor  apostolicity,  and  is  of  course  heret- 
ical. 

8.  You  ask  where  is  he  to  whom  the  keys  of 
heaven  and  hell  are  given,  and  the  church  to  which 
God  has  promised  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it,  and  without  doubt  refer  to  St.  Peter 
and  the  Church  of  Rome. 

5*  (53) 


54  rHE   CATHOLIC. 

I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  pause  in  my  professional 
pursuits,  and  assail  each  of  these  positions.  I  assail 
them  with  such  forces  as  a  layman  may  command. 
You  make  a  partial  defence,  and  then  propose  to 
change  your  ground  and  present  a  new  question  for 
discussion,  which  I  now  learn  comes  from  a  Roman 
Catholic  bishop.  You  propose  to  discuss  the  inten- 
tions of  our  Saviour,  to  assume  that  he  would  create 
a  church  sufficient  to  teach  his  gospel  to  those  born 
after  his  crucifixion,  and  to  draw  from  such  inten- 
tions, and  the  antiquity  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  the 
inference  that  it  must  be  the  true  exponent  of  the 
word  of  God.  Is  not  this  mere  casuistry  ?  Is  it 
safe  for  man  to  assume  the  intentions  of  our  Sav- 
iour ?  or  after  assuming  these  intentions,  to  infer 
from  that  assumption  the  sufficiency  of  an  ancient 
church  without  regarding  its  errors  ?  This  is  but  a 
ruse,  an  artifice,  a  mere  appeal  to  fancy  or  supersti- 
tion, and  I  camiot  permit  it  to  divert  me  from  the 
facts  at  issue. 

Let  me  now  recur  to  the  points  you  have  ad- 
vanced, ^irst.  I  have  shown  that  the  Chiu-ch  of 
Rome  does  not  pervade  the  world.  I  have  shown 
the  Greek  chin-ch  engrosses  a  large  part  of  Russia, 
Turkey,  Greece,  and  Germany,  while  the  Protestant 
faith  is  gradually  overspreading  the  globe.  I  will 
concede  to  you,  that  at  the  close  of  the  third  century 
the  true  church  of  Christ  was  established  and  per- 
vaded the  world,  but  it  does  not  follow  therefrom 
that  the  Church  of  Rome  is  the  same  at  this  mo- 
ment, or  has  the  same  universality. 

Christianity  made  rapid  progress  under  the  teach- 
ing of   the  apostles.     It   had   to  encoilnter  in  the 


THE    CATHOLIC.  65 

Roman  Empire,  which  then  embraced  the  civilized 
world,  a  state  religion,  venerable  for  its  antiquity,  its 
mythology,  and  its  association  with  both  poetry  and 
history.  It  had  its  oracles  and  temples,  its  sacred 
fountains  and  groves,  its  statues  of  gods,  goddesses, 
and  deified  heroes.  Its  votaries  from  childhood 
bowed  down  to  them,  and  offered  worship  and 
sacrifices,  and  when  their  religion  was  assailed,  ex- 
claimed, Great  is  Jupiter,  great  is  Apollo,  great  is 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians.  Even  St.  Pauls,  in  Lon- 
don, occupies  the  site  of  the  temple  of  the  Virgin 
Diana. 

This  religion  was  sustained  by  the  love  of  people 
and  princes,  by  antiquity,  universality.)  and  general 
consent,  but  in  less  than  four  centuries  it  yielded  to 
the  apostles  of  the  Gentiles. 

At  the  close  of  the  second  century,  IrensBus  speaks 
of  the  prevalence  of  the  gospel  among  "the  Ger- 
mans and  Celts,  the  Egyptians,  Lybians,  and  Orien- 
tals." 

The  eloquent  Tertullian,  a. D.  198,  recites:  "We 
are  but  of  yesterday,  yet  we  have  filled  your  empire, 
your  cities,  your  islands,  your  castles,  your  corporate 
towns,  your  assemblies,  your  very  camps,  your  tribes, 
your  companies;  your  palaces  and  your  temples 
alone  are  left  to  you."  And  again,  "  The  Parthians, 
Medes,  Persians,  the  inhabitants  of  Mesopotamia, 
Armenia,  Phrygia,  Cappadocia,  Pontus,  Egypt,' and 
parts  beyond  Cyrene,  the  Romans,  tribes  of  the 
Getuli,  many  in  the  extreme  parts  of  Mauritania  and 
Spain,  many  nations  in  Gaul  and  places  in  Britain 
inaccessible  to  the  Roman  arms,  have  been  subdued 
to  Christ.  The  Sarmatians,  Dacians,  Germans,  Scyth- 


56  THE  CATHOLIC. 

ians,  and  many  other  nations,  provinces,  and  islands 
to  us  unknown,  are  subject  to  Clirist's  dominion," 
and  this  was  at  least  a  century  before  the  accession 
of  the  first  Christian  emperor,  and  during  the  reign  of 
Severus.  After  the  victory  of  Constantine,  a.  d.  306, 
under  the  luminous  cross,  with  its  inscription,  "  con- 
quer by  this,"  Christianity  still  advanced,  and  before 
the  middle  of  the  fifth  century,  about  the  time  of  St. 
Augustine,  attained  its  greatest  power  under  Valen- 
tinian  and  Theodosius.  Bishop  Hopkins  ^  proves 
by  various  authors,  that  at  this  early  period,  long  be- 
fore the  Roman  prelate  had  claimed  the  supremacy, 
or  wore  the  title  of  universal  bishop,  and  when  he 
certainly  was  not  ruler  of  the  world,  that  the  Christian 
world  contained  two  thousand  bishoprics.  Records 
are  now  remaining  of  at  least 

566  dioceses  in  Africa,  estimated  to  contain  55,000,000  souls. 

50        «      «    Persia,  Asia,        '«         "        «         2,500,000     " 

48        "      inthepatriarchateof  Jerusalem,  Asia,  5,000,000    " 
164         «      "     "  "  "  Antioch,        "  33,000,000     " 

400        "      «     «  «  Constantinople, "  80,000,000    " 

200        "      "    "  "  "     Europe,  40,000,000    « 

300        "      "   Italy, 
117        "      "   France, 

38         «      «  Ireland,  }.  25,250,000     « 

50        "      "   Britain,   Germany,  and  other 
places,  estimated 

Some  of  the  bishoprics  were  very  large  and  popu- 
lous. That  of  Carthage  contained  five  hundred 
presbyters.  That  of  Cyrus  consisted  of  eight  hun- 
dred parishes  and  sixty  thousand  farms.  The  dio- 
cese of  CaBsarea,  over  which  St.  Basil  presided,  cov- 

*  In  his  treatise  on  the  Primitive  Church,  p.  402. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  57 

ered  an  area  of  ten  thousand  square  miles,  and  he 
had  under  him  fifty  assistant  bishops.  The  aggi-e- 
gate  of  each  district  gives  us  more  than  two  hundred 
and  forty  millions  of  Christians,  more  Christians 
than  the  entire  world  now  contains.  But  little  more 
than  a  century  after  this,  the  bishop  of  Rome  usurped 
the  powers  of  the  church,  and  claimed  supremacy. 
The  Greek  church  seceded.  In  the  year  a.  d.  622, 
the  baneful  crescent  rose  in  the  East.  Mahomet, 
with  his  false  faith,  invaded  a  divided  empire,  and 
swept  before  him  the  churches,  people,  and  civiliza- 
tion of  Asia,  Africa,  and  Eastern  Europe.  The  ages 
of  ignorance  and  superstition  followed,  and  when 
the  Church  of  Rome  insists  to-day  that  she  has  been 
since  the  time  of  the  apostles,  universal,  catholic, 
and  apostolic,  may  we  not  ask.  What  has  she  d6ne 
with  those  vast  and  fertile  regions,  the  garden  of  the 
w^orld,  the  seats  of  arts,  commerce,  and  literature,  in 
which  the  church  was  first  planted  ?  Where  are  the 
five  hundred  and  sixty-six  dioceses  of  Africa,  the 
six  hundred  and  sixty-two  -dioceses  of  Asia,  and  the 
two  hundred  bishoprics  of  Eastern  Europe,  and  the 
two  hundred  millions  of  Christians  they  contained? 
Has  she  not  severed  herself  from  them  by  her  ambi- 
tion? Did  she  not  leave  them  to  perish?  Have 
they  not  been  trodden  down  by  the  infidel,  and  what 
remains  of  them  but  a  remnant  of  Greeks,  Maro- 
nites,  and  Nestorians  ?  If  the  Church  of  Rome  has 
any  existence  in  these  regions,  or  in  the  Northern 
and  Eastern  provinces  of  Norway,  Sweden,  and 
Russia,  it  must  be  in  the  shape  of  some  feeble  mis- 
sionary or  wandering  friar.  I  will  not  pretend  to 
prove  a  negative  to  the  claim  that  a  Roman  Catholic 


58  THE   CATHOLIC. 

there  exists,  but  must  ask  you  to  prove  that  he  does 
exist  there,  and  if  he  does,  that  he  preaches  to  any 
purpose. 

And  in  this  connection  let  me  ask,  in  what  part 
of  our  own  State,  Vermont,  New  Hampshire,  and 
Connecticut,  did  the  Church  of  Rome  exist  for  the 
first  century  after  our  forefathers  landed,  for  I  find 
no  records  of  its  existence. 

If  your  theory  is,  that  a  solitary  priest,  perhaps 
travelling  in  disguise,  is  proof  that  a  religion  exists 
in  a  country,  and  is  sufficient  to  prove  it  universal, 
then  glance  at  the  missions  which  the  Protestants  of 
England,  Germany,  and  the  United  States  have 
planted  throughout  the  world.  The  English  nation 
pervades  the  world.  Her  morning  gun  and  her  ban- 
ner salute  the  sun  as  he  rises  in  every  portion  of  the 
globe,  and  the  chant  of  the  Episcopal  church,  or  the 
prayer  of  the  Protestant  missionary,  ascend  from 
nearly  every  point  touched  by  the  commerce,  or 
reached  by  the  energy  of  the  Anglo-Saxon.  Upon 
yeur  theory,  the  faith  of  the  Protestant  is  more  dif- 
fused, and  more  universal  than  that  of  the  Church 
of  Rome. 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    IX. 

Boston,  February  28,  1853. 
My  dear  S.  .  .  :  —  You  urge  that  the  Church  of 
Rome  is  the  only  apostolic  and  primitive  church. 
In  my  previous  letters  I  have  pointed  out  to  you  its 
numerous  departures  from  the  divine  word,  the  rules 
of  the  apostles,  and  ancient  usages.  Let  me  draw 
your  attention  to  a  few  others.  The  pope  of  Rome 
claims  to  unite  .spiritual  and  temporal  power,  but  St. 
Paul  in  his  directions  to  Timothy,  an  early  bishop, 
expressly  charges  him  to  be  the  soldier  of  Christ, 
and  not  to  entangle  himself  with  the  affairs  of  this 
lifc.^  The  apostolic  canons,  which  contain  the  rules 
by  which  the  church  was  governed  in  the  second  and 
third  centuries,  expressly  provide,  "  Let  not  a  bishop, 
or  a  priest,  or  a  deacon,  undertake  temporal  offices, 
but  if  any  should,  let  him  be  expelled."  How'  can 
you  reconcile  with  this  rule,  the  triple  crown  worn 
by  the  bishop  of  Rome,  when  he  assumes  the 
office  of  a  temporal  prince  at  his  coronation  ?  How 
can  you  reconcile  the  various  and  discordant  prac- 
tices of  the  monks  and  the  monastic  life,  with 
the  teaching  of  our  Saviour  or  his  apostles,  or  the 
earliest  usages  of  the  primitive  chm-ch  ?  Where 
do  you  find  in  Holy  Writ  directions  to  found 
monasteries,  or  directions  to  one  class  of  monks  or 

^  2  Timothy  2 :  3,  4. 

(60) 


60  THE  CATHOLIC. 

friars  to  eat  fish,  and  to  another  to  eat  herbs  on  cer- 
tain days,  or  imperative  orders  to  some  to  use  san-. 
dais,  to  others  to  go  barefoot,  to  some  to  wear  woollen, 
to  others  to  dress  in  linen,  to  one  set  to  put  on  white 
and  another  black  apparel,  or  prescribing  a  broad  ton- 
sure to  some,  and  a  narrow  tonsure  to  others.  I  am 
well  aware  there  were  enthusiasts  and  devotees  in  the 
first  three  centuries,  that  even  devout  and  pious  men 
sought  retirement,  and  even  St,  John,  in  his  old  age, 
(and  he  lived  nearly  a  century,)  fled  irom  persecution 
to  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  where  he  had  heavenly  vis- 
ions, but  I  can  find  no  early  authority  for  monas- 
teries and  monastic  rules.  On  the  contrary,  St. 
Augustine  expressly  condemns  the  idle  monks  who 
rhade  their  appearance  in  his  day,  and  lived  upon 
others.  "  We  cannot  tell  (he  observes)  whether  they 
became  monks  to  serve  God,  or  being  weary  of  a 
life  of  poverty  and  want,  were  desirous  to  be  fed 
and  clothed  in  indolence."  Again  he  remarks,  "  they 
serve  not  God,  but  their  own  low  appetites,"  and 
calls  the  alms  they  obtain,  "  the  gains  of  a  lucrative 
poverty,  the  reward  of  a  pretended  holiness."  ^  And 
Thcodoret,  a.  d.  420,  speaks  of  monasteries  as  dens 
of  thieves,  and  commends  bishop  Letois  because  he 
had  "chased  the  wolves  from  the  fold,"  when  he 
overthrew  and  burned  the  Thessalian  monasteries. 
And  again.  Cardinal  Pole,  reporting  to  Pope  Paul 
III.,  pope  of  Rome,  a.  d.  1534,  under  a  commission 
to  view  the  disorders  and  deformities  of  the 
church,  remarks,  "  Another  abuse  there  is  to  be  re- 
formed in  the  orders  of  monks  and  friars,  for  many 

^  Augustine  de  opere,  Monach.  c.  12,  22,  28. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  61 

of  them  are  so  vile  that  they  are  a  shame  unto  the 
seculars,  and  with  their  example  do  much  ill ;  as  for 
conventual  orders  we  think  it  good  they  should  be 
all  abolished^  Remember,  this  is  the  official  testi- 
mony of  an  eminent  Roman  Catholic  to  the  pope,  of 
the  vices  and  impurity  of  hosts  of  monks  and  friars. 
The  church  you  consider  apostolic,  then  overflowed 
with  BMch.  pretended  holiness. 

But  let  us  glance  for  a  moment  at  auricular  con- 
fession. I  do  not  mean  to  argue  that  our  Saviour 
and  his  apostles  did  not  direct  us  to  confess  our  sins, 
but  where  do  you  find  in  the  gospels,  acts,  and  let- 
ters of  the  apostles,  or  apostolic  canons,  a  rule  for 
females  to  confess  in  private  to  the  priest,  their  sins 
in  thought,  word,  or  deed  ?  And  permit  me  to  ask, 
whether,  down  to  A.  d.  1560,  it  was  not  a  question  in 
the  Church  of  Rome,  on  what  authority  rested  au- 
ricular confession,  the  canonists  saying  it  was  ap- 
pointed "  by  the  positive  law  of  man,"  and  the 
schoolmen  urging  it  was  appointed  by  the  law  of 
God.  Has  not  the  practice  been  shamefully  abused 
by  dissolute  priests  and  friars,  and  when  we  find  the 
doctors  of  the  Church  of  Rome  disagree  as  to  the 
sanction  for  such  a  practice,  and  gross  abuses  attend- 
ant, are  we  not  safe  in  its  rejection? 

Again,  with  respect  to  the  rite  or  sacrament  of 
baptism.  Did  our  Saviour  or  his  apostles,  or  their 
successors,  the  earliest  bishops,  or  the  canons  of  the 
primitive  church,  for  centuries,  require  the  applicant 
for  baptism,  as  a  condition  precedent,  to  swear  obedi- 
ence to  a  temporal  prince,  or  to  the  bishops  of  Rome  ? 
If  so,  refer  me  to  your  authority.      According   to 

6 


6k 


THE   CATHOLIC. 


Acts  viii.  the  Apostle  Philip,  after  our  Lord's  ascen- 
sion, went  down  to  Samaria  and  baptized  the  Sa- 
maritans, and  even  Simon  the  sorcerer,  when  they 
believed ;  and  in  his  memorable  interview  with  "  the 
man  of  Ethiopia,  a  eunuch  of  great  authority  under 
Candace,  queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  who  had  charge 
of  all  her  treasure,"  he  preached  unto  him  Jesus. 
And  when  he  asked  to  be  baptized,  "  Philip  said,  if 
thou  believest  with  all  thy  heart,  thou  mayest.  And 
he  answered  and  said,  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  Son  of  God.  And  he  commanded  the  chariot 
to  stand  still,  and  they  went  down  both  into  the 
water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  and  he  baptized 
him."  Where  was  the  pope's  formulary,  where  the 
promise  to  obey  a  temporal  and  spiritual  lord,  which 
the  bearer  of  the  triple  crown  now  imposes  on  the 
followers  of  Christ?  Is  there  in  this  particular  a 
close  adherence  to  the  primitive  apostolic  church  ? 

And  let  me  ask  you,  why  should  not  an  apostolic 
church  adhere  to  such  practices  alone  as  reach  the 
age  of  apostolic  authority,  and  should  we  not  bring 
the  lofty  pretensions  of  the  Church  of  Rome  to  the 
severe  test  of  this  primitive  canon?  Irenseus often 
appealed  to  the  "  earliest  churches."  If  the  Church 
of  Rome  claims  immutability  from  the  very  age  of 
the  apostles,  can  she  sustain  herself  by  modern  inno- 
vations ?  The  very  circumstance  of  such  a  claim 
being  preferred,  brings  the  whole  matter  to  the  ques- 
tion of  a  naked  historic  fact,  and  by  the  solution  of 
that  question,  we  prove  the  Church  of  Rome  guilty 
of  innovation. 

The    Council   of    Nice   wisely   enjoined    on   the 


THE   CATHOLIC.  63 

church,  "  hold  still  the  ancient  customs ; "  and  your 
favorite  Tertullian  says  with  great  felicity  of  ex- 
pression, "  That  only  is  genuine  and  true  which  was 
first  delivered,  but  that  which  was  subsequently  in- 
troduced is  extraneous  and  false."  ^ 

The  same  great  master,  Tertullian,  also  tells  us 
that,  "  Truth  being  a  stranger  in  the  earth,  easily 
finds  enemies  among  strangers,  and  all  she  asks  is 
this,  that  no  one  condemn  her  before  he  knovjs  herP 
And  Vincent  of  Lirens,  one  of  the  strongest  advo- 
cates for  traditions,  well  remarks,  "  That  in  the 
Catholic  church  herself,  likewise,  care  is  to  be  taken 
that' we  hold  that  which  has  been  believed  every- 
where, always,  and  by  all."  ^ 

With  these  prefatory  remarks,  cited  from  stand- 
ard Catholic  authorities,  I  recur  to  your  two  posi- 
tions :  that  the  Church  of  Rome  has  always  pre- 
served her  unity,  and  that  there  were  no  dissenters 
firom  her  authority  before  the  time  of  Luther. 

If  the  church  claims  a  derivation  from  the  primi- 
tive church,  was  not  that  unity  broken,  by  her  aban- 
donment of  the  Eastern  churches,  with  at  least  two 
thirds  of  all  the  bishops,  churches,  presbyters,  and 
Christians,  to  which  I  have  already  referred.  Is  there 
any  unity  between  the  Greek  and  Roman  churches 
at  the  present  moment  ?  Is  there  any  unity  between 
the  Church  of  Rome  and  the  Maronites,  Nestorians, 
Armenians,  or  Abyssinian  churches,  which  have  ex- 
isted for  more  than  ten  centuries.     I  would  refer  you 

^"Id  esse  dominicum  et  verum  quod  est  prius  traditum,  id 
autem  extraneum  et  falsum,  quod  sit  posterius  immissum." 

*  Tertullian  in  Apologetico,  c,  I.  (Vincent  Lirens  Commenta- 
rium,  317.) 


64  ~  THE  CATHOLIC. 

also  to  Gibbon,!  where  he  shows  the  prevalence  of  the 
Arian  doctrines  in  the  churches  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire at  the  accession  of  Theodosius,  "  who  claimed 
the  merit  of  subduing  the  Arian  heresy,  and  was  in 
fact  the  first  emperor  baptized  in  the  faith  of  the 
trinity."  When  he  ascended  the  throne,  a.  d.  379, 
just  after  the  death  of  Athaiiasius,  the  Arians,  en- 
couraged by  the  Emperor  Valens,  himself  an  Arian, 
held  all  the  churches  of  Constantinople,  more  than 
one  hundred  in  number. 

More  than  half  the  churches  of  the  empire  were 
controlled  by  Arians,  when  Theodosius  proclaimed 
his  own  faith,  and  prescribed  the  religion  of  his  sub- 
jects. "  It  is  our  pleasure,"  such  is  the  imperial 
style,  "  that  all  the  nations  which  are  governed  by 
our  clemency  and  moderation,  should  steadfastly  ad- 
here to  the  religion  which  was  taught  by  St.  Peter  to 
the  Romans,  Avhich  faithful  tradition  has  preserved; 
and  which  is  now  professed  by  the  pontifi'  Damasus, 
and  by  Peter,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  a  man  of  apos- 
tolic holiness.  According  to  the  discipline  of  the 
apostles  and  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  let  us  believe 
the  sole  Deity  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  under  an  equal  majesty  and  a  pious  trinity." 

After  thus  treating  the  pontiff  of  Rome  and 
bishop  of  Alexandria  as  equal  authorities,  he  pro- 
ceeds to  denounce  all  dissenters  from  this  doctrine 
as  heretics. 

At  this  time,  observes  Gibbon,^  "  Constantinople 
was  the  principal  seat  and  fortress  of  Arianism,  and 

>  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  Vol.  V.  p.  13-23. 

-lb.  p.  17. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  65 

in  a  long  interval  of  forty  years,  the  faith  of  the 
princes  and  prelates  who  reigned  in  the  capital  of 
the  East,  was  rejected  by  the  purer  schools  of  Rome 
and  Alexandria." 

A  contemporary  of  Theodosius,  cited  by  Gibbon, 
informs  us  that  at  the  time  of  his  accession,  Con- 
stantinople was  full  of  mechanics  and  slaves,  who 
were  all  of  them  profound  theologians,  and  preach  in 
the  shops  and  the  streets.  If  you  desire  "a  man  to 
change  a  piece  of  silver,  he  informs  you  wherein  the 
Son  differs  from  the  Father.  If  you  ask  the  price  of 
a  loaf,  you  are  told  by  way  of  reply,  the  Son  is  infe- 
rior to  the  Father ;  and  if  you  inquire  if  the  bath  be 
ready,  you  are  told  the  Son  was  made  out  of  noth- 
ing," so  pervading  was  the  faith  of  the  Arians,  and 
so  deeply  had  their  views  entered  into  the  bosoms, 
and  interwoven  themselves  with  the  thoughts  of  the 
people. 

Theodosius  made  Gregory,  of  the  Athanasian  or 
Catholic  faith,  archbishop  of  his  capital,  and  Gibbon 
observes,^  "  That  the  glittering  arms  which  surround- 
ed his  person,  were  necessary  to  his  safety,  and  that 
he  alone  was  the  object  of  the  imprecations  of  a 
great  party,  whom  as  men  and  citizens  it  was  impos- 
sible for  him  to  despise.  He  beheld  the  innumerable 
multitude  of  either  sex  and  of  every  age  who 
crowded  the  streets,  the  windows,  and  the  roofs  of 
houses ;  he  heard  the  tumultuous  voice  of  rage,  grief, 
and  astonishment  and  despair,  and  Gregory  fairly 
confesses,  that  on  the  day  of  his  instaJlation,  the 
capital  of  the  East  wore  the  appearance  of  a  city 

» Decline  and  Fall,  Vol.  V.  p.  24. 

6* 


66  THE  CATHOLIC. 

taken  by  storm,  and  in  the  hands  of  a  barbarian  con- 
queror." But  Theodosius  prevailed.  The  Arian 
archbishop  retired  to  a  life  of  poverty  and  exile. 

Theodosius  announced  his  intention  to  expel  from 
all  the  churches  of  hi§  empire  the  Arian  bishops  and 
their  clergy.  His  lieutenant,  Sapor,  "was  armed 
with  the  ample  powers  of  a  general  law,  a  special 
commission,  and  a  military  force,  and  this  ecclesias- 
tical revolution  was  conducted  with  so  much  discre- 
tion and  vigor,  that  the  religion  of  the  emperor  was 
established  without  tumult  or  bloodshed  in  all  the 
provinces  of  the  East."  Gibbon  relates  that  Theo- 
dosius then  proceeded,  w^ith  the  aid  of  the  celebrated 
St.  Ambrose,  bishop  of  Milan,  to  abolish  paganism, 
which  down  to  this  period  had  been  the  prevailing 
religion  of  the  nobles,  senate,  and  people  of  Rome, 
and  a  large  proportion  of  the  Roman  Empire,  but 
the  bishop  of  Rome  appears  to  have  made  no  figure 
on  this  great  occasion. 

After  Theodosius  had  disposed  of  the  Arians, 
another  great  sect,  the  Donatists,  arose,  and  dming 
the  whole  of  the  fifth  century  disturbed  the  unity  of 
the  primitive  chm*ch.  By  reference  to  Gibbon,^  you 
will  find  that  this  sect  was  inclined  to  the  principles 
of  the  Arians;  that  "the  Donatist  bishops  at  the 
Council  of  Carthage,  amounted  to  two  hundred  and 
seventy-nine,  and  they  asserted  their  whole  number 
was  not  less  than  four  hundred.  The  Catholics  had 
two  hundred  and  eighty-six  present,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  absent,  beside  sixty-four  vacant  bishoprics. 
The  Emperor  Honorius,  after  the  death  of  Theodo- 

>  Decline  and  Fall,  Vol.  VII.  p.  16. 


THE   CATHOLICT.  67 

sius,  issued  decrees  against  the  Donatists,  of  which  the 
fifty-fourth  was  the  most  severe  and  effectual.  A  regu- 
lar scale  of  fines,  of  from  ten  to  two  hundred  pounds 
of  silver,  was  established.  Some  were  reconciled  to 
the  church,  but  many  were  provoked  to  madness, 
and  the  distracted  country  was  filled  with  tumult 
and  bloodshed.  After  the  death  of  St.  Augustine, 
who  was  released  in  the  76th  year  of  his  age  from 
the  impending  calamities  of  his  country,  the  Arian 
king  of  the  Vandals,  combining  with  the  Donatists, 
conquered  the  principal  provinces  of  Africa,  cap- 
tured Carthage,  established  an  African  kingdom, 
and  restored  the  Arian  and  Donatist  bishops  to 
their  sees  and  churches.  Gibbon,  in  his  narrative, 
in  describing  the  death  of  St.  Augustine,  says  he 
left  more  than  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  separate 
books  and  treatises,  that  "  he  possessed  a  strong, 
capacious,  argumentative  mind ;  he  boldly  sounded 
the  dark  abyss  of  grace,  predestination,  freewill, 
and  original  sin,  and  the  rigid  system  of  Christian- 
ity which  he  framed  or  restored,  has  been  entertained 
with  public  applause  and  secret  reluctance  by  the 
Latin  church.  The  Church  of  Rome  has  canonized 
Augustine  and  reprobated  Calvin,  yet  as  the  real 
difference  between  them  is  invisible  even  to  a  theo- 
logical microscope ;  the  Molinists  are  oppressed  by 
the  authority  of  the  saint,  and  the  Jansenists  are  dis- 
graced by  their  resemblance  to  the  heretic." 

From  the  books  of  this  early  Catholic  saint,  sprung 
the  bitter  but  no  less  famous  controversy  between  the 
Jesuits  and  the  Jansenists,  which  has  for  several  cen- 
tm-ies  divided  the  Church  of  Rome,  the  former  main- 
taining the  free  agency  of  man,  the  latter  denying 


68  THE   CATHOLIC. 

his  ability  to  work  at  all  in  his  own  salvation.  Keen 
arguments,  decrees  of  universities  and  councils  of 
cardinals,  edicts  of  princes,  have  been  mustered  on 
either  side.  The  pope  and  the  kings  of  France  at 
length  took  up  the  cause  of  the  Jesuits,  prevailed, 
and  oppressed  the  obnoxious  Jansenism,  although  it 
is  still  more  or  less  openly  professed  in  many  Roman 
Catholic  countries. 

Allow  me  to  ask,  in  conclusion,  what  division  be- 
tween Protestants  on  articles  of  faith  is.  more  seri- 
ous, than  the  differences  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  on  the  subject  of  the  trinity,  the  difference  as 
to  grace  and  freewill,  and  the  difference  between 
the  Greek  and  Latin  churches,  the  Nestorians,  Mar- 
onites,  and  Abyssinians  still  subsisting  ?  Can  a 
church  which  has  partaken,  and  still  partakes  of 
such  dissensions,  a  church  which  has,  since  the  days 
of  the  apostles,  regardless  of  the  rules  and  practice 
of  our  Saviour,  his  apostles,  and  the  primitive 
church,  admitted  new  observances  and  worship, 
adopted  purgatory,  transubstantiation,  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  pope,  and  other  innovations  as  articles  of 
faith  or  practice,  claim  to  be  in  truth  the  only  church 
which  has  preserved  unity,  and  had  no  dissenters 
down  to  the  time  of  Luther  ? 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    X. 

Boston,  March  1,  1853. 

My  dear  S.  . . :  —  Having  disposed  of  the  "  Unity  " 
claimed  for  the  Church  of  Rome,  I  now  come  to 
your  position,  that  the  Episcopal  church  is  neither 
ancient,  catholic,  or  apostolic. 

In  discussing  this  question,  let  us  not  forget  that 
the  divisions  of  Protestants  may  be  ascribed  in 
some  degree  to  the  errors  of  Rome.  The  abuses 
which  crept  into  the  church  during  the  dark  ages  had 
risen  to  such  a  height  in  the  days  of  the  Reformers 
as  to  awaken  the  indignant  feelings  of  the  public, 
and  cause  a  general  outbreak.  Extremes  beget  ex- 
tremes. Revolutions  tend  to  violence  and  disorder ; 
and  when  the  people  rose  almost  en  masse  to  sweep 
away  the  abuses  of  Rome,  to  war  against  images, 
legends,  traditions,  and  monastic  vices,  to  test  by  the 
"Word  of  God  the  standard  of  faith,  it  followed  of 
necessity  that  many  would  lose  sight  of  the  ^ood 
amid  the  mass  of  evil,  and  fail  to  distinguish  some  of 
the  rules  and  rituals  established  by  the  apostles  from 
the  innovations  of  the  Romish  church.  Nor  is  it 
surprising  that  the  Reformers,  when  defining  their 
faith  without  the  aid  of  councils,  divided  on  some  of 
the  questions  discussed  and  adjudicated  by  the  early 
councils  of  the  church.  Need  we  wonder  that  some 
should  prefer   presbyters   to  bishops,  some  rely  on 


70  THE   CATHOLIC. 

grace,  and  others  upon  freewill ;  that  some  should 
give  the  preference  to  immersion,  others  to  sprink- 
ling ;  that  some  should  reject  the  liturgy,  and  some 
differ  upon  the  Arian  faith,  which  divided  the  primi- 
tive church  both  before  and  after  the  day  of  Athana- 


sius 


? 


Is  it  safe,  however,  to  infer  from  such  distinctions, 
that  they  were  all  wrong  in  rejecting  J;he  errors  and 
innovations  of  Rome?  Concede  some  Protestants 
have  fallen  into  error,  it  by  no  means  follows,  as  a 
necessary  consequence,  that  the  Church  of  Rome  we 
have  proved  to  be  neither  united,  catholic,  or  apostolic, 
is  the  only  true  church.  On  the  contrary,  the  very  re- 
verse should  be  inferred  from  so  general  a  dissent 
from  her  form  of  worship  and  articles  of  faith. 

When  we  ask  which  is  the  true  catholic  church, 
we  must  not  ask  which  makes  the  boldest  claims 
and  professions,  for  professions  are  not  the  tests  of 
truth ;  we  must  not  ask  which  is  most  widely  dif- 
fused or  dominant,  for  the  Arians  had  the  ascendency 
during  the  early  life  of  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Chrysostom, 
and  St.  Athanasius,  and  rode  rampant  over  the 
church ;  but  we  must  ask  which  church  can  best 
show  its  apostolic  succession,  which  church,  tested 
by  Holy  Writ,  by  the  canons  of  the  apostles,  and  the 
authentic  record  of  the  church  to  the  close  of  the  first 
centiury,  when  St.  John,  the  survivor  of  the  apostles, 
was  still  alive,  approaches  most  closely  to  the  apos- 
tolic standard,  and  I  will  submit  to  you  the  claims  of 
our  Episcopal  church  to  the  precedence. 

We  derive  this  church  from  the  English,  which  traces 
its  bishops  in  direct  succession  from  the  apostles, 
and  it  will  be  my  effort  to  prove  that  the  Church  of 


THE  CATHOLIC.  71 

England  was  planted  in  Britain  in  the  first  century 
by  St.  Paul,  or  his  immediate  converts,  and  was  for 
centuries  entirely  independent  of  Rome,  governed  by 
its  own  bishops  and  archbishops,  that  it  has  through 
every  age  struggled  to  preserve  its  independence,  and 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree  opposed  the  errors  of  Rome, 
and  now,  purged  of  its  errors,  claims  to  be  the  true 
apostolic  and  catholic  church.  But  before  I  trace 
the  history  and  succession  of  this  church,  let  me  briefly 
advert  to  its  articles  of  faith  and  form  of  government. 
Its  faith  is  founded  on  Holy  Writ,  the  apostolic 
canons,  and  in  part  on  the  decisions  of  the  earliest 
councils,  including  the  great  Council  of  Nice.  If  it 
has  deviated  materially  from  this  primitive  standard, 
point  out  the  discrepancy.  As  respects  the  form  of 
government,  it  is  overlooked  and  guided  by  bishops, 
who  trace  their  succession  from  the  apostles.  During 
feudal  times,  some  of  these  were  lords  temporal  in 
England.  But  no  Am^erican  bishop  wields  any  tem- 
poral power,  he  bears  here  only  the  spiritual  sword. 
As  respects  the  office  of  bishop,  the  apostles  at  first 
appointed  presbyters  and  deacons  to  direct  the  church 
under  their  guidance.  This  was  in  the  infancy  of 
the  church.  As  the  disciples  increased,  and  the 
apostles  pursued  their  mission  in  different  regions,  the 
more  distinguished  presbyters  were  selected  as  "  an- 
geli  or  episcopi,"  legates  or  bishops.  James,  supposed 
to  be  the  brother  of  our  Lord,^  presided  at  the  first 
council  at  Jerusalem,  and  pronounced  the  decree  "  I 
judge,"  etc.,  which  was  confirmed  by  his  associates ; 
and  during  the  lifetime  of  St.  John,  in  apostolic  days, 
numerojis  bishops  were  appointed,  for  he  addresses  his 

»  Acts  15:  12,  28. 


72  THE  CATHOLIC. 

Revelation  from  Patmos  to  the  seven  angels  or  bishops 
of  the  churches  of  Asia,  namely,  Ephesus,  Smyrna, 
Pergamos,  Thyatira,  Sardis,  Philadelphia,  and  Laodi- 
cea.  The  English  bishops  claim  a  succession  from 
St.  John,  through  Polycarp  his  disciple,  bishop  of 
Symrna,  and  the  great  historian  Eusebius,  who  had 
access  to  the  early  church  records,  has  preserved  the 
succession  of  the  bishops  of  Jerusalem,  Rome,  Alex- 
andria, and  Antioch,  from  the  apostolic  period  down 
to  A.  D.  305,  fifteen  years  before  the  Council  of  Nice, 
when  he  wrote  his  history.  In  his  list,  Linus,  a  friend 
of  St.  Paul,  a  married  man,  a  prince  of  Britain,  appears 
as  first  bishop  of  Rome,  Amianus  as  first  of  Alexan- 
dria, James,  presumed  to  be  the  brother  of  our  Lord, 
as  first  of  Jerusalem,  and  Evodius  as  first  of  Antioch ; 
and  by  the  same  authority,  Linus,  bishop  of  Rome, 
presided  over  the  chiu-ch  of  that  city  from  A.  d.  67  to 
A.  D.  79,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Anacletus,  and  on 
his  death,  A.  D.  91,  by  Clement.  The  liturgy  of  the 
Episcopal  church  corresponds  closely  with  that  early 
used  in  the  church  of  Ephesus,  ascribed  by  early  his- 
tory to  St.  John,  and  is  traced  firom  Britain  to  Lyons, 
and  thence  through  Bishop  Paulinus,  a  disciple  of 
Polycarp,  the  pupil  of  St.  John,  to  Symrna  and  Eph- 
esus, the  seat  of  the  favored  apostle  of  our  Lord. 

Let  me  invite  your  attention  to  the  historical  evi- 
dence that  St.  Paul  first  planted  the  church  in  Brit- 
ain. From  those  valuable  documents,  the  Triads, 
preserved  in  the  Welsh  monasteries,  it  appears  that 
about  A.  D.  52,  Caradoc,  a  British  prince,  his  son 
Bronnus,  and  grandson  Linus,  were  carried  to  Rome, 
and'  detained  seven  years  in  bondage.  "While  in 
Rome  they  became  converts  to  Christianity.     At  the 


THE   CATHOLIC.  73 

end  of  seven  years  Brennus  returned  to  Britain  with 
Aristobulus,  whose  household  St.  Paul  salutes  in  his 
Epistle  to  the  Romans, 

This  account  is  supported  by  Gildas,  a  British  his* 
torian,  A.  D.  560,  who  affirms  in  the  evidence  of  an- 
cient records,  that  Christianity  was  introduced  into 
Britain  about  the  time  of  the  revolt  and  overthrow  of 
Boadicea,  A.  D.  61.  Linus,  the  son  of  Brennus,  of 
Britain,  was  probably  ordained  by  St.  Paul,  first  bish- 
op of  Rome,i  and  appears  to  have  been  his  convert 
and  particular  friend,  for  he  refers  to  him  in  his  second 
Epistle  to  Timothy.^  Clement,  another  disciple  of 
St.  Paul,  and  third  bishop  of  Rome,  commended  by 
that  apostle  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  a.  d.  87, 
states,  that  St.  Paul,  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  "  went 
to  the  utmost  bounds  of  the  West,"  which  not  only 
includes  Britain,  but  is  the  very  expression  by  which 
Britain  was  then  described.  Eusebius,  A.  D.  305, 
says,  "  one  of  the  apostles  visited  the  British  isles," 
and  Theodoret,  A.  d.  415,  mentions  the  Britons  and 
Cimbrians  as  nations  who  had  received  laws  from 
the  apostles ;  and  we  are  not  to  forget  that  St.  Paul 
himself  proposed  to  make  a  visit  to  Spain,  a  point 
still  more  remote. 

Were  further  confirmation  wanting,  the  old  writer 
Dorotheus  mentions  the  fact  that  Aristobulus,  the 
friend  of  St.  Paul,  was  one  of  the  first  bishops  of  the 
British  church,  made  many  converts,  ordained  priests 
and  deacons  and  bishops,  and  died  in  Britain.  Aris- 
tobulus being  a  Greek,  would  of  course  carry  with 
him  the  Eastern  ritual,  and  this  may  explain  the 
agreement   between    the    Greek  and  British  ritual, 

»  Apos.  Cons.  VII.  46.  «  2  Tim.  4:  21. 


74  THE   CATHOLIC. 

and  the  variance  from  the  Roman.  We  may  then 
safely  infer,  from  the  evidence  of  history,  that  St. 
Paul  planted  the  church  in  Britain  between  a.  d.  60 
and  A.  D.  67,  when  he  was  beheaded  at  Rome,  under 
the  Emperor  Nero.  The  Triads  further  prove  that 
Lucius,  a  grandson  of  Linus,  first  bishop  of  Rome, 
was  permitted  by  the  Romans  to  reign  over  part  of 
Britain,  and  exerted  himself  to  promote  Christianity 
in  Britain.^  The  venerable  Bede,  the  favorite  author 
of  King  Alfred,  records  a  severe  persecution  (a.  d. 
303)  of  the  Christians  in  Britain,  and  the  names  of 
the  first  martyrs,  Verolamus,  Aaron,  and  Julius,  the 
last  of  Legion,  or  Cair  Leon,  in  Wales. 

Tertullian,  a.  d.  190,  says :  "  There  are  places  in 
Britain,  inaccessible  to  the  Roman  arms,  which  were 
subdued  to  Christ."  And  Origen,  a.  d.  230,  informs  us, 
"  the  power  of  God  our  Saviour  is  ever  with  them  of 
Britain,  who  are  divided  from  our  world." 

The  records  of  the  great  councils  held  at  Aries  in 
Gaul,  A.  D.  314,  are  stUl  preserved,  and  bear  the  sig- 
natures of  three  British  bishops,  Eborius  of  York, 
Rcstitutus  of  London,  and  Adulfius  of  Cair  Leon  in 
Wales,  with  Sacerdos,  a  presbyter,  and  Arminius,  a 
deacon  of  the  church.  In  A.  D.  448,  a  synod  of  bishops, 
held  at  Munster  in  Ireland,  questioned  the  power  of 
St.  Patrick  as  archbishop,  but  conceded  what  they 
denied  as  a  right,  to  his  merits  and  success  as  a  mis- 
sionary. 

It  is  thus  apparent  that  Christianity  was  estab- 
lished in  the  isles  of  Britain  long  before  the  seventh 
century,  when  Austin,  the  legate  of  Gregory  of 
Rome,  made  his  first  visit  to  Britain,  and  reclaimed 

'  Sec  Monos.  Angli.  Vol.  III.  p.  188  ;  Hopkins,  P.  C,  364. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  75 

the  Saxons,  then  established  in  England,  for  the  pope 
of  Rome  doubtless  claimed  them  when  they  emi- 
grated from  his  diocese,  while  he  conceded  the  Gauls 
and  their  clergy  to  the  Bishop  of  Aries  as  their  me- 
tropolitan.^ 

Austin  held  hi»  celebrated  conference  with  the 
bishops  of  Britain,  a.  d.  603.  At  this  interview  they 
asserted  their  entire  independence  of  Rome,  "  owing 
nothing  to  her  but  charity  and  brotherly  love."  No 
less  than  seven  British  bishops  attended  this  confer- 
ence, and  by  their  mouthpiece  Dinoth,  whose  speech 
is  preserved,^  informed  Austin,  "  they  could  not  ac- 
knowledge him  as  archbishop,  or  obey  the  Roman 
bishop  whom  he  called  pope,"  for  "  we  are  under 
the  government  of  the  bishop  of  Cair  Leon  upon 
Wiske,  who,  under  God,  is  to  oversee  us,  to  cause  us 
to  walk  in  the  way  of  life."  They  were  tenacious 
of  their  ancient  faith  and  ritual,  and  stood  firmly  by 

"  Religio  patrum  multos  servata  per  annos." 

Between  the  visit  of  Austin,  a.  d.  603,  and  the  Nor- 
man conquest,  A.  d.  1066,  various  councils  of  bishops 
were  held  in  England,  and  repeated  efforts  made  to 
establish  the  power  of  the  pope,  but  there  was  not  at 
any  one  of  them  a  recognition  of  his  authority,  al- 
though he  was  permitted  to  iutroduce  monks  and 
monasteries.  Both  the  British  and  Saxon  churches 
remained  independent  until  the  invasion  of  the  duke 
of  Normandy,  when  they  were  merged  in  one,  en- 
tirely independent  of  papal  authority.  Under  the 
Norman  kings  the  pope  of  Rome  resumed  his  efforts 

'  For  this  see  Bede,  Ecc.Hist.1.  c.  27. 
8  See  Smith's  Bede,  p.  716. 


76  THE   CATHOLIC. 

for  supremacy  in  Britain,  and  sent  a  legate  to  that 
country.  William  II.  made  Anselm  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  and  he  acknowledged  the  authority  of 
Pope  Urban,  and  for  this  the  whole  body  of  bishops 
at  Rockingham  renounced  their  allegiance  to  Anselm, 
and  after  this  he  was  not  permitted  to  convene  coun- 
cils or  fill  up  vacant  dioceses.^ 

Henry  I.  allowed  no  appeals  to  the  pope  without 
license  from  the  king,  and  required  the  bishops  to  at- 
tend the  councils  of  the  nation.  He  maintained  his 
ground  against  all  opposition.  Under  the  degenerate 
Stephen,  papal  encroachments  were  made,  but  his 
successor,  Henry  II.,  called  a  council  at  Clarendon, 
A.  D.  1164,  composed  of  archbishops,  bishops,  ab- 
bots, lords,  and  barons,  which  enacted  sixteen  canons 
that  gave  a  most  effectual  check  to  the  influence  of 
the  pope  for  several  centuries.  These  canons  pro- 
vided among  other  things  that  the  clergy  should  be 
amenable  to  the  secular  power  ;  should  not  leave  the 
realm  without  the  king's  consent,  and  have  no  right 
to  appeal  to  the  pope ;  that  the  election  of  bishops 
should  be  invalid  until  confirmed  by  the  king,  and 
that  no  freeholder  should  be  laid  under  interdict 
without  the  consent  of  the  king  or  his  chief  justice. 
These  canons  were  condemned  and  revoked  by  Pope 
Alexander,  but  notwithstanding  this,  were  confirmed 
by  kings,  lords,  and  clergy,  at  a  council  held  at  North- 
ampton, A.  D.  1176,  in  the  presence  of  the  pope's 
legate,  were  long  enforced,  and  for  centm-ies  formed 
the  bulwark  of  the  Church  of  England.  During  the 
reign  of  Richard  I.,  who  died  A.  D.  1199,  these  canons 

'  See  Lingard,  the  Catholic  Historian,  Hist  Eng.  Vol,  II.  p.  23. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  77 

were  strictly  observed,  but  under  the  pusillanimous 
John,  renewed  efibrts  were  made  by  the  pope  to  sub- 
ject England  to  his  sway,  and  that  imbecile  monarch 
swore  fealty  to  him,  and  allowed  Peter  pence  to  be 
collected.  His  successor,  Henry  HI.,  acquiesced  in 
silence,  but  the  opposition  of  the  clergy  was  aroused, 
they  complained  to  the  king,  and  appealed  from  the 
pope  to  a  general  council  for  redress.^ 

The  three  Edwards,  who  reigned  from  the  death 
of  Henry  HI.,  a.  d.  1272  to  1377,  held  the  reins  with 
a  firmer  hand  than  the  two  weak  kings  who  preceded 
them,  and  during  their  reigns  the  pretensions  of  the 
pope  were  successfully  resisted.  By  a  series  of  stat- 
utes the  king  was  empowered  to  reverse  sentences  of 
excommunication,  the  donation  of  John  to  the  pope 
declared  invalid,  the  remittance  of  funds  to  Rome 
strictly  prohibited,  parties  appealing  to  Rome  declared 
traitors  and  outlaws,  taxes  were  levied  on  the  clergy, 
and  when  Boniface  VIH.,  by  his  bull,  A.  D.  1296,  for- 
bid the  clergy  to  pay  such  taxes,  and  excommunicat- 
ed those  who  laid  them,  the  king,  by  a  decree  of 
outlawry,  sanctioned  by  the  lay  peers,  enforced  sub- 
mission.2 

From  the  death  of  Edward  HI.,  a.  d.  1377,  until 
A.  D.  1422,  under  Henry  IV.  and  V.,  other  restrictive 
statutes  were  passed,  forbidding  the  sale  of  indul- 
gences, and  prohibiting  aliens  from  holding  benefices 
in  England,  except  priors,  who  were  required  to  find 
sureties  for  their  compliance  with  the  laws  of  the 
realm,  for  which  see  the  statutes  of  England. 

^  See  Lingard,  IIL,  pp.  32-89. 

^  See  Lingard,  Stowe,  and  Hopkins,  P.  C.  p.  378. 

7* 


78  THE   CATHOLIC. 

From  A.  D.  1422,  these  laws  continued  unrepealed 
until  the  accession  of  Henry  VIII.,  and  the  reforma- 
tion under  him,  a  century  later;  but  during  the 
War  of  the  Roses,  the  country  was  torn  by  civil 
dissensions,  laws  ceased  to  be  enforced  and  re- 
spected, monarchs  had  little  time  to  protect  the 
church,  old  abuses  were  revived,  and  the  influence  of 
the  pope  was  gradually  increased,  and  probably 
reached  its  height  under  Cardinal  Wolsey,  himself 
an  aspirant  for  the  papal  chair.  But  you  have  read 
of  the  downfall  of  Wolsey,  and  his  parting  words 
to  Cromwell,  immortalized  by  the  bard  of  Avon, 
who  must  have  witnessed  his  fall.  He  charges 
Cromwell  to  "  fling  away  ambition,  by  that  sin  fell 
the  angels.  Be  just  and  fear  not.  Let  all  the  ends 
thou  aimest  at  be  thy  country's,  thy  God's,  and 
truth's."  And  Wolsey,  that  once  trod  the  ways  of 
glory,  and  sounded  aU  the  depths  and  shoals  of 
honor,  ends  his  career  with  — 

"  Vain  pomp  and  glory  of  this  world,  I  hate  ye ; 
Farewell,  a  long  farewell,  to  all  my  greatness." 

The  struggles  of  ambition  ended  with  the  fall  of 
Wolsey.  Henry  suppressed  the  monasteries,  re- 
formed the  errors  of  the  church,  for  which  reform 
WicklifFe  had  paved  the  way,  and  sustained  alike  by 
the  bishops  and  clergy,  nobles,  and  people  enforced 
the  laws  of  the  preceding  century,  and  bid  defiance 
to  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican,  whose  bolts  fell  pow- 
erless at  the  feet  of  his  daughter  Elizabeth. 

Thus  have  I  shown  you  how  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, through  successive  centuries,  while  Europe 
generally  submitted  to  Rome,  was  tenacious  of  its 


THE   CATHOLIC.  79 

rights,  on  its  guard  against  invasion,  asserted  and 
maintained  its  privileges,  and  finally  secured  on  a 
firm  basis  the  purity  which  it  now  maintains.  Should 
you  urge  that  its  members  do  not  exceed  fifteen  mill- 
ions in  all  quarters  of  the  globe,  that  they  are  less 
than  one  sixth  of  the  numbers  of  the  Roman  church, 
let  me  reply,  that  numbers  are  not  the  sole  test  of 
truth,  that  God  invited  but  seven  beside  Noah  to  es- 
cape the  deluge,  that  Lot  fled  almost  alone  from  the 
corrupt  cities  of  the  plain ;  and  let  us  observe  also  the 
bow  of  promise  in  the  future.  ^ 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 

^  For  proof  that  St.  Paul  planted  the  Church  in  Britain  before 
St.  Poter  left  Asia,  see  Appendix,  p.  274. 


LETTER   XI. 

Boston,  March  4,  1853. 

My  dear  S.  .  .  :  —  I  am  not  surprised  that  you 
seek  to  discover  the  true  church,  nor  do  I  wonder 
that  you  are  at  the  outset,  strongly  impressed  by  the 
confidence  with  which  the  Church  of  Rome  still 
claims  to  be  the  only  one  which  has  preserved  her 
unity,  her  catholic  and  apostolic  character.  We 
have  already  examined  the  frail  foundations  which 
sustain  those  claims,  and  it  is  easy  to  refute  all  her 
arguments,  for  they  have  been  refuted;  but  she  is  im- 
posing, even  in  her  decay.  She  reminds  me  of  one 
of  her  own  venerable  structures,  whose  base  has 
been  undermined  by  the  stream,  whose  stone  has 
crumbled,  whose  walls  are  tottering,  whose  windows 
are  darkened  by  ivy,  whose  roof-tree  is  broken,  so 
that  the  birds  of  night  find  refuge  in  her  rafters, 
whose  nave  and  transepts  are  usurped  for  the  pur- 
poses of  trade,  or  are  filled  with  rubbish,  while  but  a 
small  part  of  her  interior,  hung  with  tattered  tapes- 
try, remains  for  the  worship  of  God.  Her  very  ruins 
arc  impressive,  and  imagination  yields  to  her  much 
that  reason  denies.  Let  us  leave  her  picture,  and 
recur  together  to  the  humble  fisherman,  on  whom 
she  rests  her  pretensions,  and  examine  more  closely 
his  claims  to  supremacy. 

The  Roman  bishop  urges  that  Peter  was  superior 

(80) 


THE    CATHOLIC.  81 

to  the  other  apostles ;  that  St.  Matthew  calls  him 
first ;  that  the  evangelists  give  him  the  first  place ; 
that  he  was  first  to  confess  his  faith,  the  first  to  see 
om*  Saviour  after  his  resurrection,  the  first  to  preach 
on  this  point  to  the  people,  the  first  to  convert  the 
Jews,  and  the  first  to  receive  the  heathen. 

A  part  of  this  may  be  questioned,  upon  the  testi- 
mony of  the  evangelists ;  but  for  the  purposes  of 
discussion,  concede  it  to  be  true,  is  it  not  also  true 
that  when  the  mother  of  James  and  John  desired 
the  highest  place  for  her  sons,  and  the  other  apostles 
were  moved  with  indignation,  "  Jesus  called  them  to 
him  and  said,  you  know  that  the  princes  of  the 
Gentiles  lord  it  over  them,  and  they  that  are  the 
greater  exercise  power  upon  them.  It  shall  not  be 
so  among  you ;  but  whosoever  will  be  the  greater 
among  you  let  him  be  your  minister,  and  he  who 
w^ould  be  first  among  you  shall  be  your  servant."  * 
Again,  our  Saviour  warning  his  disciples  against  the 
love  of  rank  and  power,  says,  "  Be  ye  not  called 
Rabbi,  for  one  is  your  master,  and  all  ye  are  breth- 
ren." 2  We  read  in  Luke,  also,  "  He  that  is  least 
among  you  shall  be  the  greatest."  And  again,  when 
"there  was  a  strife  among  them  which  of  them 
should  be  accounted  the  greatest,"  our  Lord,  after  say- 
ing, "  let  the  leader  be  as  him  that  serveth,"  adds,^  "  I 
appoint  to  you  as  my  Father  has  appointed  to  me,  a 
kingdom,  that  you  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in 
my  kingdom,  and  may  sit  upon  thrones  judging  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  Now  all  these  lessons  of 
humility  and  equality^  were  given  by  our  Saviour  after 

'  Matt.  20  :  25.         ^  Ibid.  23  :  8.         ^  Luke  9  :  48.    22  :  29. 


82  THE  CATHOLIC. 

the  gift  of  the  keys  to  St.  Peter,  and  after  the  prom- 
ise that  the  church  should  be  built  on  the  rock,  to 
which  you  refer,  when  pressing  his  claim  to  suprem- 
acy. And  if  Peter  was  constituted  prince  of  the 
apostles,  and  invested  with  "  superior  jurisdiction," 
and  "  a  special  dignity,"  by  the  figurative  words  of 
our  Lord,  is  it  consistent  therewith  that  he  should 
afterwards  have  inculcated  such  lessons  of  humility 
and  equality?  Would  he  not  have  told  them,  bow 
with  deference  to  Peter,  for  after  I  leave  you,  he  is 
to  be  your  sovereign  pope  and  judge  ? 

And  how  can  you  reconcile  this  office  of  sovereign, 
pope,  and  judg-e,  confided  to  St.  Peter,  with  his  meek 
deportment  at  the  council  of  apostles  and  ancients, 
held  at  Jerusalem,  to  hear  the  report  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  when  James,  classed  by  Eusebius  as  the 
first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  pronounces  the  authorita- 
tive decree,  "  Wherefore  I  judge  that  they  who  fi-om 
the  Gentiles  are  converted  to  God,  are  not  to  be 
disquieted,"  and  the  apostles  and  ancients,  with  the 
whole  church,  inclusive  of  Peter,  acquiesce  and  ratify 
the  decree  ?  ^ 

Again,  if  the  promise  of  the  keys,  and  of  power 
to  bind  and  to  loose,  was  given  exclusively  to  St. 
Peter,  how  do  you  reconcile  the  fact,  recorded  in  St. 
John's  gospel,  20 :  22,  that  our  Lord  after  his  ascen- 
sion came  to  the  room  where  all  his  disciples  were 
assembled,  and  addressing  himself  to  all  alike,  said, 
"  Peace  be  unto  you ;  as  the  Father  hath  sent  me,  I 
also  send  you ;  whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are 
forgiven  them,  and  whose  you  shall  retain,  they  are 

>  See  Acts  15  :  19.    Douay  Ed. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  83 

retained."  Does  not  this  gift  include  St.  Peter  and 
his  associates,  without  distinction  or  degree?  Do 
they  not  hold  under  one  and  the  same  commission  ? 
If  St.  Peter  was  usually  named  first,  is  not  the 
solution  easy  ?  He  was  the  first  called,  and  was 
probably  the  oldest  and  most  energetic  of  the  disci- 
ples. This  would  account  for  his  prominence  on 
many  occasions,  but  not  for  the  fact  to  which  you 
also  advert,  as  a  proof  of  his  supremacy,  that  our 
Lord  thrice  asked  him  after  his  resurrection,  "  Lovest 
thou  me  ?  "  and  thrice  repeated  the  charge  to  him  to 
feed  his  sheep  and  lambs.  Does  not  this  repetition 
make  against  him  ?  We  read,^  that  when  our  Lord 
said  to  him  the  third  time,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas, 
lovest  thou  me  ?  Peter  was  grieved."  And  why  did 
he  grieve  ?  Did  not  these  repeated  inquiries  imply 
doubt  and  distrust  ?  Had  he  not  promised,  "  Lord, 
I  wiU  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake  ?  "  Had  he  not 
said,  "  Though  all  men  shall  be  offended  because  of 
thee,  yet  will  I  not  be  offended  ?  "  Had  he  not  as- 
sured our  Saviour,  "  I  am  ready  to  go  with  thee  even 
into  prison  and  to  death,"  and  confidently  declared, 
"  If  I  should  die  with  thee  I  will  not  deny  thee  ? " 
Melancholy  exemplar  of  human  frailty !  Did  he  not 
that  selfsame  night  thrice'deny  his  Lord,  draw  his 
sw^ord  upon  an  innocent  witness,  and  after  deserting 
and  denying  his  master,  begin  to  curse  and  to  swear, 
and  to  confirm  his  denial  by  an  oath  ?  After  all 
this,  might  not  our  Saviour  single  him  out  from  his 
fellows,  and  repeat  in  a  tone  of  reproof  as  often  as 
he  had  denied  him,  "  lovest  thou  me  ?   then  feed  my 

»  John  21  :  16. 


'81  THE  CATHOLIC. 

lambs  and  sheep  "  without  thereby  giving  him  suprem* 
acy?  And  when  enthusiasts  cite  the  visit  of  our 
Saviour,  first  made  to  Peter's  ship,  and  the  miracu- 
lous draught  of  fishes,  as  proofs  of  superiority,  are 
you  not  reminded  how  his  heart  failed  him  when  he 
tried  to  walk  upon  the  waters,  and  our  Lord  ad- 
dressed him,  "  O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst 
thou  doubt  ?  "  1  How  is  it,  again,  that  you  find  no 
proofs  of  Peter's  supremacy  in  the  apostolical  canons 
still  extant,  which  define  the  positions  of  bishop,  pres- 
byter, and  deacon,  but  do  not  advert  to  the  supremacy 
of  Peter?  On  the  contrary,  the  thirty-third  canon 
prescribes  a  metropolitan  for  each  nation,  whom  his 
associates  should  "esteem  as  their  head,  and  that 
they  should  do  nothing  of  difficulty  or  great  moment, 
without  his  opinion.  But  neither  should  this  pri- 
mate do  any  thing  without  the  opinion  of  all,  for 
thus  shall  concord  continue."  The  Council  of  Nice 
and  the  Council  of  Ephesus  followed  these  canons, 
and  flecreed  that  every  bishop  should .  acknowledge 
his  metropolitan ;  but  in  neither  canons  or  councils  is 
there  any  allusion  to  a  sovereign  prince,  or  tiara 
wearing  prelate. 

If  St.  Peter  was  the  rock  on  which  alone  the  church 
was  founded,  and  he  alo^e  held  the  keys  of  heaven ; 
if  he  alone  could  loose  and  unloose,  allow  me  to  ask, 
how  could  St.  Paul  perform  his  mission  to  the 
heathen  for  three  years,  without  once  conferring  with 
St.  Peter,  or  receiving  from  him  some  portion  of  his 
gifts  ?  And  yet  the  mission  of  St.  Paul  was  eminently 
successful.     But  how  did   the  ancient  fathers,  still 

'Matthew  14:  31. 


THE  CATHOLIC.  85 

honored  by  Rome,  construe  these  passages?  Did 
they  give  the  exposition  now  claimed  by  the  Roman 
see?  The  golden-mouthed  St.  Chrysostom,  trans- 
lated for  his  eloquence  and  learning  from  the  see  of 
Antioch  to  that  of  Constantinople,  reads  it  thus: 
"  Christ  founded  and  fortified  his  church  upon  his 
(i.  e.  Peter's)  confession,  so  that  no  danger,  nor  even 
death  itself,  could  overcome  it."  And  commenting 
on  the  very  words  of  our  Saviour,  "  And  I  say  unto 
thee  that  thou  art  Peter,  and  on  this  rock  I  will  build 
my  church,"  St.  Chrysostom  says,  "  That  is  upon  the 
faith  of  his  confession^''  Is  not  this  express  and 
definite  ? 

The  same  revered  writer  says  of  St.  Paul,  "  There 
is  no  one  who  loved  Christ  more  vehemently  than 
St.  Paul,  and  there  was  none  more  acceptable  to 
God  than  he  was,  yet  after  receiving  so  many  privi- 
leges from  God,  he  fears  and  trembles  on  account  of 
his  subjects,  on  account  of  this  principality,  that  is, 
the  episcopal  office."  ^ 

What  says  the  celebrated  St.  Ambrose,  first  a 
prince,  then  the  bishop  of  Milan,  whose  reputation 
and  influence  entirely  overshadowed  that  of  his  col- 
league, Damasus  of  Rome? 

Addressing  himself  to  Christians  in  general,  he 
says,  "  Believe,  therefore,  as  Peter  believed,  that  you 
also  may  be  blessed,  that  you  also  may  hear.  Flesh 
and  blood  has  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my 
Father  who  is  in  heaven,  for  whoever  overcomes  the 
flesh,  is  a  foundation  of  the  church.  If  he  cannot 
equal  Peter,  he  can  imitate  him."     And  again,  "  The 

*  See  Chrysostom  de  Sacerd.  Op.  Orn.  Ps.  430,  591,  866. 


86  THE  CATHOLIC. 

rock  is  Christ.  Strive,  therefore,  that  thou  also  mayst 
be  a  rock.,  and  look  for  that  rock^  not  without  thee 
but  within.  The  rock  is  thine  action,  the  rock  is  thy 
mind.  Upon  that  rock  thy  faith  is  buUt,  that  it  may 
be  struck  down  by  no  spiritual  wickedness.  The 
rock  is  thy  faith;  faith  is  the  foundation  of  the 
church."  1 

What  says  St.  EQlarius,  another  ancient  writer 
revered  by  the  Catholics.  "  The  apostles,"  not  Peter 
only,  "  obtained  the  keys  of  heaven."  And  again,  he 
calls  "  St.  Paul,  the  master  of  the  nations,  the  elect 
master  of  the  church."  Do  not  these  expressions 
negative  the  title  of  St.  Peter  to  the  supremacy  ?2 

Eusebius,  the  early  historian  of  the  church,  also 
calls  St.  Paul  "the  holy  apostle  and  truly  the  first  of 
all,"  and  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  Paul  in  ful- 
filment of  prophecy,  "ruled  first  over  the  churches, 
and  after  Paul  the  other  apostles."  ^ 

The  ancient  liturgy,  which  bears  the  name  of  Basil, 
makes  no  reference  to  the  pope  of  Rome,  but  in  the 

^  "  Si  petra  fueris  in  ecclesia  ens,  quia  Ecclesia  supra  petram 
est.  Si  in  Ecclesia  fueris,  portae  inferi  non  praevalebunt  tibi." 
"  Quae  autem  porta;  mortis,  hoc  est  portae  inferi  nisi  singula 
quaeque  peccata  ?  "  -  "  Si  peccatum  mortale  comniiseris  portas 
mortis  intrasti,  sed  potens  est  Deus  qui  exaltet  te  de  portis 
mortis."  Again  he  says,  "  Tibi  inqult  dabo  Claves  regni  ccclorum 
ut  et  solves  et  liges.  Hoc  Novitianus  non  audivit  sed  Ecclesia  Dei 
audivit  quod  Pet7'0  dicitur  Apostolis  dicitur."  Again  he  says, 
"  Nee  Paulus  inferior  Petro."  And  again,  "  Fides  ergo  est  eccle- 
sia; fundamentum  non  enim  de  came  Petri  sed  de  fide  dictum  est 
quia  porta;  mortis  ei  non  prsevalebunt  sed  confessio  vicit  Inferum." 
S.  Ambros.  Op.  Tom.  2,  711;  Tom.  1,  98,  99;  Tom.  2,  158. 

-  Ilil.  de  Trin.  L.  VI.  p.  125,  706. 

*  Eusebius,  Com.  in  Psalm  8,  67,  68 ;  Evangel.  L.  1.  c.  3. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  87' 

prayer  for  the  bishop  of  Alexandria,  styles  him 
"  most  holy  and  blessed  pontiff,  father,  pope,  and 
patriarch,"  and  calls  his  office,  holy  pontificate.^ 

But  that  venerable  saint,  Augustine,  "  the  clearest 
of  witnesses,"  defines  Avith  precision  the  rock,  and 
the  keys,  and  the  words.  Feed  my  sheep,  on  which  the 
Church  of  Rome  places  so  much  reliance,  and  it  is,  I 
confess,  a  little  remarkable,  that  this  canonized  au- 
thor and  bishop,  bears  such  strong  testimony  against 
her.  In  his  comments  on  St.  John,  he  tells  us,  "  The 
Lord  says,  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,  be- 
cause Peter  2  had  said,  Thou  art  Christ,  the  son  of  the 
living  God.  Upon  this  rock,  therefore,  which  thou 
hast  confessed,  will  I  build  my  church.  For  the  rock 
was  Christ,  upon  which  foundation  Peter  himself 
was  built.  For  another  foundation  can  no  man  lay 
beside  that  which  has  been  laid,  Christ  Jesus.  The 
church,  therefore,  which  is  built  on  Christ,  received 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  Peter,  that  is, 
the  power  of  binding  and  loosing  sins." 

Again,  "  On  behalf  of  all  the  saints,  therefore,  who 
belong  inseparably  to  the  body  of  Christ,  in  order  to 
the  proper  direction  of  this  most  stormy  life,  Peter, 
the  frst  of  tl\e  apostles,  received  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  for  the  binding  and  loosing  of 
sins.  And  on  behalf  of  all  the  same  saints,  in  order 
to  the  obtaining  that  most  serene  bosom  of  the  hid- 
den life,  John  the  evangelist  reclined  on  the  breast 
of  Christ.  As,  therefore,  it  is  not  Peter  alone,  but 
the  whole  church  which  binds  and  looses  sins,  neither 
is  it  John  alone  who  drinks  from  the  fountain  of  the 

*  Basil,  Op.  Om.  Oratlo  pro  Pap.  Tom.  11.  675. 

*  Petra  signifies  a  rock. 


88  THE  CATHOLIC. 

Lords  heart  the  sublime  truths  which  he  puts  forth 
in  his  preaching,  that  in  the  beginning  was  the  word, 
God  with  God,  and  the  rest  concerning  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  and  the  trinity  and  unity  of  the  divine 
nature,  truths  to  be  contemplated  face  to  face  in  his 
kingdom,  but  now  until  the  Lord  come,  to  be  beheld 
in  a  glass  and  in  mystery,  but  the  Lord  himself 
diffuses  this  gospel,  to  be  drank  by  all  his  saints, 
each  according  to  his  capacity,  throughout  the  whole 
world." 

In  his  discourse  upon  the  anniversary  of  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul,  we  read  as  follows :  "  Feed  my  sheep. 
I  commit  my  sheep  to  thee.  What  sheep  ?  Those 
I  have  bought  with  my  blood.  I  have  died  for  them. 
Dost  thou  love  me,  die  then  for  them.  And  truly 
as  th&t  servant  who  was  the  man  of  men,  should 
give  money  for  the  sheep  that  were  lost,  Peter  gave 
his  blood  for  the  sheep  that  were  saved.  But  come, 
brethren,  he  continues,  I  wish  to  say  something  for 
the  present  time.  That  which  was  committed  to  Peter^ 
that  which  he  was  commanded  to  do,  not  Peter  only, 
but  likewise  all  the  apostles  heard,  held,  and  kept,  and 
chiefly  that  companion  of  his  martyrdom,  and  of  his 
natal  day,  the  Apostle  Paul.  They  heard  these  things, 
and  transmitted  them  to  us,  that  w^e  might  hear 
them.  We  feed,  therefore,  and  are  fed  with  you. 
May  God  give  us  strength  in  such  wise  to  love  you, 
that  we  also  may  be  enabled  to  die  for  you,  either  in 
reality  or  affection." 

With  such  concurrence  in  the  exposition  of  the 
language  of  our  Saviour  as  to  the  rock,  the  keys, 
and  the  trust  committed  therewith  to  his  apostles, 
made  in  the  early  days  of  the  primitive  Catholic 


THE  CATHOLIC.  89 

church,  by  her  purest  saints  and  ablest  commenta- 
tors, can  we  be  at  a  loss  for  their  true  meaning? 
Do  not  they  concur  that  all  shared  in  the  trust,  and 
that  no  supremacy  was  given  to  St.  Peter? 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 

8* 


LETTER    XII. 

Boston,  March  6,  1853. 

My  dear  S.  .  . :  —  I  resume  the  topic  of  the  su- 
premacy of  the  pope,  discussed  in  my  last  letter,  in 
which  I  cited  the  golden-mouthed  Chrysostom,  and 
the  blessed  Ambrose  and  Augustine,  canonized 
saints  of  Rome,  to  prove  that  her  popes  have  no 
supremacy. 

It  is  easy  to  cite  from  the  saints  and  early  popes 
of  Rome,  other  passages  to  disprove  their  claims. 
You  will  find  in  Barrow's  ^  unanswerable  treatise,  an 
array  of  such  authorities,  and  I  might  well  argue 
from  them  the  supremacy  of  St.  Paul,  St.  James,  and 
St.  John  over  their  more  illiterate  associate.  St. 
Chrysostom  ^  tells  us  the  "  Apostolic  power  was  the 
greatest  and  highest  in  the  church.  There  was  none 
before  an  apostle,  none  superior,  none  equal."  He 
demonstrates  this  superiority  by  St.  Paul  himself, 
who,  in  his  enumeration  of  the  chief  officers  placed 
by  God  in  the  church,  assigned  the  highest  rank  to 
apostles.  "  Our  Lord,"  ^  says  St.  Paul,  "  gave  some 
apostles,  some  prophets,  some  evangelists,  some  pas- 

^  See  works  of  Barrow,  Vol.  VII.  p.  156,  from  which  I  make 
several  extracts. 

«  Chrysostom,  Tom.  VIH.  p.  114. 
^Ephesians  4:  11. 
(90) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  91 

tors  and  teachers."  Again,  St.  Paul  says,^  "  God 
has  set  in  his  church  first,  apostles ;  secondly,  proph- 
ets ;  thirdly,  teachers."  Why  does  he  not  name  as 
first  a  pope,  a  vicar  of  Christ,  a  head  of  the  Catholic 
church  ?  Could  he  be  so  ignorant,  so  negligent,  or 
envious,  as  to  pass  by,  without  any  distinction,  the 
supreme  officer,  if  such  a  one  there  was?  Let  us 
assume  that  one  should  undertake  to  name  the  offi- 
cers in  any  State  or  Republic,  "  would  he  not,"  says 
Barrow,  "  do  strangely  if  he  should  omit  the  king, 
the  duke,  the  consul  ?  "  And  might  not  St.  Chrysos- 
tom  safely  infer,  as  he  has  done  from  the  omission 
of  any  higher  rank,  "  that  there  was  nothing  in  the 
Christian  state  superior  to  the  apostolic  office?" 
And  what  does  St.  Chrysostom  say  of  the  Apostle 
Paul  ?  He  styles  him,^  "  the  tongue,  the  teacher,  the 
apostle  of  the  world;"  he  was  the  light  of  the 
churches ;  ^  "  the  foundation  of  faith,  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  truth."  ^  «  He  had  the  patronage  of  the 
world  committed  into  his  hands."  ^  «  None  was 
greater  than  he,  none  equal  to  him."  ^ 

Pope  Gregory  I.  says  of  St.  Paul,  that  he  was 
made  head  of  the  nations,  because  he  obtained  the 
principate  of  the  whole  church.^ 

How  can  these  descriptions  be  reconciled  with  the 
supremacy  of  St.  Peter  ? 

But  St.  Chrysostom  distinguishes  another  apos- 
tle, also,  for  he  says  that  St.  John  "  was  a  pillar  of 
the  churches  through  the  world,  and  one  that  had  the 
keys  of  heaven."  ^   How  can  we  reconcile  this  with  the 

^  1  Corinthians  12  :  28. 

^  See  Barrow,  7,  p.  156,  157,  for  passages  in  original  Greek 
from  St.  Chrysostom,  and  reference  to  book  and  page. 


92  THE  CATHOLIC. 

peculiar  claim  of  St  Peter  to  the  keys  of  heaven  ? 
And  what  account  does  St.  Chrysostom  give  of 
the  first  bishop  ordained  after  the  death  of  our 
Saviour  ?  He  says,  "  Tradition  tells  us  that  our 
Lord  appeared  to  James,  and  ordained  him  the  first 
bishop  of  Jerusalem."  "  James,"  says  the  historian 
Epiphanius,  "first  received  the  episcopal  chair,  and 
to  him  our  Lord  intrusted  his  own  throne  upon 
earth."  i 

Hence,  in  the  apostolic  constitutions,  in  the  prayer 
presented  for  the  church,  and  for  aU  the  governors  of 
it,  the  bishops  of  the  principal  ciiurches  are  specified 
by  name,  and  St.  James  is  put  in  the  first  place, 
before  the  bishops  of  Rome  and  Antioch.  "  Let  us 
pray  for  the  whole  episcopacy  under  heaven  of  those 
who  rightly  dispense  the  word  of  thy  truth,  and  let 
us  pray  for  our  bishop  James,  with  all  his  parishes ; 
let  us  pray  for  our  bishop,  Clement,  with  all  his 
parishes;  let  us  pray  for  Evodius,  and  all  his 
parishes."  2  Thus  may  we  account  for  the  terms 
bishop  of  bishops,  and.  bishop  of  the  apostles,  under 
which  some  of  these  ancient  writers  describe  St. 
James. 

"Where,  then,  was  the  supremacy  of  St  Peter  ? 

We  should  remember  also  that  St.  John  the  apostle 
survived  St.  Peter,  and  lived  until  the  time  of  Tra- 
jan, at  least  thirty  years  after  the  death  of  St.  Paul. 
He  enjoyed  the  reverence  of  all  the  churches,  and  it 
may  well  be  asked.  Did  he,  for  more  than  thirty 
years,  resign  his  supremacy  in  the  church  to  the 
early  bishops  of  Rome,  the  humble  disciples  of  St 

» Epiph.  Hser.  78.  *  Const,  Ap.  VIII.  10. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  •93' 

Paul  and  St.  Peter,  and  acknowledge  the  supremacy 
or  even  primacy  of  a  bishop  over  an  apostle  ? 

Let  us  assume  for  the  moment  that  the  primacy  of 
St.  Peter  over  the  primitive  church  and  its  bishops 
and  apostles  is  established  by  other  Catholic  evidence, 
by  what  rule  of  law  or  title  does  that  personal  privi- 
lege descend  to  his  successors  in  the  see  at  Rome  ? 

I  cannot  find  a  particle  of  evidence  to  prove  its 
transmission  or  descent  to  such  successors.  By  the 
canon  law,  "  a  personal  privilege  follows  the  person, 
and  is  extinguished  with  the  person,"  ^  and  such  was 
the  privilege  or  primacy,  if  any,  of  St.  Peter.  All 
the  pretence  of  primacy  granted  to  St.  Peter  is  based, 
says  Barrow,^  upon  "  words  addressed  to  his  person, 
characterized  by  his  personal  adjuncts,  as  name  and 
parentage,  which  were  accomplished  in  his  personal 
actings,  and  which  it  is  unreasonable  to  extend  fur- 
ther." 

"  These  things  being  in  a  conspicuous  manner  ac- 
complished in  St.  Peter's  person,  the  sense  of  these 
words  is  exhausted,  and  whatever  more  is  inferred 
must  be  by  precarious  assumption." 

Yon,  however,  ascribe  to  the  popes  the  primacy, 
and  adduce  as  an  argument  for  their  supremacy,  the 
fact  that  St.  Ignatius  addresses  his  epistles  to  the 
church  which  presides  in  the  country  of  the  Romans. 
Concede  the  fact.  Does  this  prove  supremacy  ?  Was 
not  the  Church  of  Rome,  metropolitan,  and  did  not 
the  Church  of  Ephesus  preside  in  the  country  of  the 
Ephesians,  the  Church  of  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  and 

»  Reg.  Juris.  7  in  Sexto.  *  Barrow  7,  160. 


94  THE  CATHOLIC. 

the  Church  of  Jerusalem  in  Judea  ?  Neither  of  these 
facts  would  prove  the  pope  of  Rome  a  sovereign. 

You  urge  that, "  dissensions  occurring  in  the  Church 
of  Corinth,  the  case  was  referred  to  the  Church  of 
Rome,  in  the  time  of  Irenaeus."  Such  a  reference  would 
prove  no  supremacy ;  but  by  investigating  the  case  I 
find  the  Church  of  Corinth  deposed  its  bishop  without 
due  cause,  and  Clement,  a  friend  and  probably  a  con- 
vert of  St.  Paul,  who  was  the  third  bishop  of  Rome, 
A.  D.  91  to  A.  D.  100,  wrote  in  the  name  of  "  the  church 
which  worships  at  Rome,"  a  friendly  letter,  expostu- 
lating with  the  Church  of  Corinth.  This  letter  is  still 
extant.  It  is  couched  in  the  most  cautious  phrase, 
and  concludes  with  expressing  the  opinion,  that  "  it  is 
sinful  and  unjust  to  depose  a  bishop  duly  appointed, 
a  bishop  who  has  for  many  years  humbly,  quietly,  lib- 
erally, and  with  good  repute,  fulfilled  the  ministry." 
"  For  it  will  not  be  accounted  a  light  sin  if  those 
who  offer  gifts  without  strife  and  with  holiness, 
should  be  removed  from  their  episcopate."  The  letter 
asserts  no  claim  to  power  or  jurisdiction,  but  addresses 
itself  to  the  reason  and  conscience  of  the  Corin- 
thians, and  concludes  with  a  beautiful  petition  for 
Divine  assistance. 

What  a  contrast  is  the  bishop  or  pope  here  pic- 
tured by  Clement,  a  disciple  of  St.  Paul,  and  one  of 
the  first  popes  of  Rome,  to  the  popes  who  succeeded 
him,  and  gradually  usurped  the  power  of  sovereigns 
and  the  honors  of  the  Deity  I  He  pictures  a  bishop 
as  distinguished  among  men  for  his  humility,  benevo- 
lence, meek  and  gentle  spirit,  his  aversion  to  strife, 
and  his  purity  of  life,  as  selected  for  these  virtues 


•  THE   CATHOLIC.  95 

by  the  apostles  or  other  approved  ministers  of 
Christ.  How  few  of  his  successors  can  aspire  to  such 
a  character ! 

Then  you  cite  Irenseus  as  urging  that  the  Church 
of  Rome  is  the  greatest,  most  ancient,  and  univer- 
sally known,  as  having  been  founded  by  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul,  to  which  every  church  is  bound  to  con- 
form, by  reason  of  its  superior  authority.  Although 
the  Church  of  Rome  is  not  so  ancient  as  the  Churches 
of  Jerusalem,  Sardis,  Ephesus,  and  Antioch,  Irenaeus 
was  right  in  saying  that  it  was  universally  known, 
and  superior  in  renown.  He  is  good  authority,  for 
he  was  educated  and  probably  ordained  at  Smyrna, 
by  Polycarp,  the  disciple  of  St.  John;  but  you 
do  not  quote  him  correctly.  He  is  endeavoring  to 
refute  the  strange  traditions  of  the  Gnostics,  by  the 
doctrines  taught  in  the  churches  which  can  trace 
their  succession  to  the  apostles,  and  in  the  course  of 
his  letter,  to  sustain  his  argument,  he  cites  the  church 
of  Smyrna  and  other  churches  in  Asia.  He  cites 
Rome  as  a  standard  authority,  because  her  bishop  is 
twelfth  in  descent  from  the  apostles,  and  traces  his 
succession  through  several  bishops,  namely,  Linus 
and  Clement  who  knew  the  apostles,  up  to  those 
very  apostles,  and  not  to  St.  Peter  alone.  For  he 
expressly  says :  "  The  blessed  apostles,  therefore, 
founding  and  establishing  this  church,  delivered  to 
Linus  the  episcopal  right  of  governing  it,"  of  which 
Linus,^  Paul  makes  mention  in  his  Epistle  to  Timothy. 
He  then  concludes :  "Ad  banc  enim  Ecclesiam  prop- 
ter potiorem  principalitatem  necesse  est  omnem  con- 
venire   Ecclesiam,    hoc   est   eos    qui    sunt    undique 


%  THE   CATflOLIC.  * 

fideles  in  qua  semper  ab  his  qui  sunt  undique  con- 
servata  est  ea  quEB  est  ab  Apostolis  traditio."  Con- 
venire,  the  word  in  question,  cannot,  in  this  connec- 
tion, mean  to  conform  or  agree,  for  convenire,  when 
it  refers  to  place,  is  followed  by  an  accusative,  and 
when  it  means  agree,  it  takes  the  dative.  I  submit 
to  you,  as  a  Latin  scholar,  that  the  true  translation  is 
as  follows :  "  For  to  this  church,  as  being  more  me- 
tropolitan in  its  character,  it  must  of  necessity  be 
that  every  church  should  resort,  that  is,  those  who 
are  faithful,  jfrom  all  places  round  about  it.  For  in  this 
church  the  apostolic  tradition  has  always  been  pre- 
served by  those  about  it."  This  conveys  a  very 
different  idea,  and  no  doubt  the  true  view  of  Irenaeus, 
as  you  will  see  by  his  other  writings,  and  surely  the 
Church  of  Rome  cannot  maintain  its  supremacy  upon 
the  basis  "of  bad  Latin. 

Irenaeus  writes  another  letter  from  Lyons  to  Vic- 
tor, thirteenth  bishop  of  Rome,  expostulating  with 
him  for  not  keeping  Easter  on  the  same  day  with  the 
eastern  churches,  and  for  threatening  not  to  commune 
with  them.  This  letter  is  more  energetic  than  the  let- 
ter of  Clement  to  Corinth,  and  in  it  he  refers  to  Poly- 
carp,  who  was  taught  by  the  apostles,  and  appointed 
by  them  bishop  of  Smyrna,  where  he  lived  to  a  great 
age  and  made  a  glorious  martyrdom,  which  Irenseus 
witnessed  in  his  youth.  He  then  describes  a  visit 
of  Polycarp  to  Rome,  in  the  time  of  Anicetas,  the 
tenth  bishop,  who  held  the  see  from  a.  d.  141  to  a.  d. 
155.  He  proceeds  as  follows :  "  When  the  most 
blessed  Polycarp  came  to  Rome  in  the  time  of  Ani- 
cetus,  and  there  was  a  little  controversy  between  them 


THE   CATHaLIC.  97 

about  other  things,  they  embraced  each  other  pres- 
ently with  the  kiss  of  peace,  not  greatly  contending 
about  this  question  (i.  e.  the  day  of  keeping  Easter), 
-^for  neither  could  Anicetus  ever  persuade  Polycarp  to 
cease  this  thing,  because  he  had  lived  familiarly  with 
John,  the  disciple  of  our  Lord,  and  with  the  other 
apostles,  and  observed  their  custom  continually.  Nor, 
on  the  other  hand,  could  Polycarp  persuade  Anicetus 
to  observe  it,  since  Anicetus  said  that  he  retained  the 
custom  of  those  elders  that  were  before  him.  When 
matters  were  thus  situate  they  communed  together, 
and  Anicetus  yielded  to  Polycarp,  as  a  token  of  re- 
spect, the  office  of  consecrating  the  offering  in  the 
church,  and  at  length  they  departed  from  each  other 
in  peace,  as  well  those  who  observed  this  custom  as 
those  who  observed  it  not,  keeping  the  peace  of  the 
whole  church."  1  Does  not  this  confirm  the  transla- 
tion of  the  cited  passage  ?  If  it  was  necessary  from 
the  supremacy  of  the  Roman  bishop  for  all  other 
bishops  to  conform,  how  is  it  that  Polycarp,  declining 
to  conform,  instead  of  a  censure  or  an  interdict, 
receives  a  kiss  of  peace,  and  is  allowed  to  consecrate 
the  offering  ?  Why  did  not  the  pope  of  Rome  then 
cite  St.  Peter  instead  of  the  elders  ?  and  where  then 
slept  the  thunder  of  the  Vatican?  One  could  argue 
from  the  letter  of  Irenaeus  to  Victor  that  the  bishop 
of  Lyons  was  superior  to  the  bishop  of  Rome,  quite 
as  strongly  as  he  could  argue  from  the  letter  of  Clem- 
ent the  superiority  of  that  bishop  over  the  bishop  of 
Corinth. 

But  you  cite  one  more  authority,  the  most  blessed 

1  See  Iren.  Con.  L.  III.  c.  1  ;  Euscbius,  L.  V.  c.  24. 

9 


98  THE   CATHOLIC. 

Jerome.  What  if  even  St.  Jerome,  the  secretary  of 
the  ambitious  Damasus,  should  prove  adverse  to  the 
pretensions  of  the  Roman  pontiff? 

The  passage  in  question  is  an  extract  from  the  let- 
ter of  St.  Jerome  to  Pope  Damasus,  about  a.  d.  375. 
St.  Jerome  had  been  a  presbyter  at  Rome  under  Da- 
masus, and  his  private  secretary  /  he  had  written  the 
Latin  Vulgate  ;  but  weary  of  the  pomp,  magnificence, 
and  vices  of  the  imperial  city,  had  retired  to  the  dis- 
trict of  Syria,  and  become  a  recluse  at  Bethlehem, 
where  he  was  disturbed  by  the  Arians,  then  in  the 
ascendant.  Desirous  to  return  to  Rome,  he  addresses 
Damasus  as  follows  :  — 

"  Since  the  East,  dashed  together  by  the  old 
madness  of  the  people,  tears  piecemeal  the  seam- 
less tunic  and  coat  of  the  Lord,  and  the  foxes  de- 
stroy the  vine  of  Christ,  as  among  reservoirs  worn 
out,  which  hold  no  water,  and  it  is  difficult  to  un- 
derstand where  the  fountain  sealed,  the  garden  in- 
closed, may  be  found,  therefore  I  have  thought  it 
best  for  me  to  consult  the  chair  of  St.  Peter  and 
the  faith  praised  by  the  apostles'  mouth ;  asking 
at  this  time  food  for  my  soul  from  the  same  quar- 
ter where  formerly  I  received  the  garments  of 
Christ.  For  the  vast  extent  of  water  and  of  land 
which  lies  between  us,  cannot  keep  me  from  peek- 
ing the  pearl  of  great  price.  '  Wheresoever  the 
body  is,  there  are  the  eagles  gathered  together.' 
The  prodigal  son,  having  wasted  his  patrimony,  the 
heritage  of  the  fathers  is  kept  safely  amongst  you 
alone.  There  the  ground  of  the  Lord,  with  its  pro- 
lific soil,  declares  its  purity  by  the  return  of  an  hun- 
dred-fold ;  here  the  grain,  drowned  in  the  furrows, 


i 


THE   CATHOLIC.  99 

degenerates  into  tares  and  straw.  Now  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  rises  in  the  West ;  but  in  the  East, 
that  Lucifer  who  had  fallen  has  placed  his  throne 
above  the  stars.  You  are  the  light  of  the  world,  you 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  you  are  vessels  of  gold  and 
silver ;  here  the  vessels  of  earth  and  wood  are  shut 
up  for  the  rod  of  iron  and  eternal  fire.  Notwithstand- 
ing, therefore,  your  greatness  deters,  yet  your  kind- 
ness invites  me.  With  earnestness  I  ask  a  victim  of 
salvation  from  the  priest,  the  defence  which  the 
sheep  requires  from  the  shepherd.  Let  envy  depart ; 
let  the  ambition  of  the  Roman  chief  be  banished ;  I 
speak  with  the  successor  of  the  fisherman  and  a  dis- 
ciple of  the  cross.  I,  who  follow  no  primate  except 
Christ,  am  united  in  communion  to  your  blessedness, 
that  is,  to  the  chair  of  Peter :  on  that  rock  I  know 
that  the  church  is  built.  Whoever  eats  the  lamb  out 
of  that  house  is  profane.  If  any  one  was  not  in  the 
ark  of  Noah,  he  must  perish  in  the  flood.  And  be- 
cause, for  my  sins,  I  have  dwelt  in  this  wilderness 
which  lies  on  the  boundary  between  Barbary  and 
Syria,  and  could  not  always  seek  the  holy  coun- 
sels of  the  Lord  from  your  holiness,  through  so 
great  an  intervening  distance,  therefore  I  follow  hither 
your  colleagues,  the  confessors  of  Egypt,  and  among 
the  largest  vessels,  I  lie  hid  in  a  little  boat.  I  know 
nothing  of  Vitalis,  of  Melitius,  of  Paulinus.  Who- 
ever does  not  gather  with  thee,  scatters :  that  is, 
whoever  is  not  of  Christ,  is  of  Antichrist.  For  now — 
O  shame  —  after  the  Nicene  faith,  after  the  Alexan- 
drine decree,  the  West  also  concurring,  the  new 
phrase  of  three  hypostases  is  exacted  of  me,  a  Roman, 
by  the    Campenses,   and   the   chief  of  the    Arians. 


100  THE   CATHOLIC. 

What  apostles,  I  pray,  have  disclosed  these  words  ? 
What  new  Paul,  the  master  of  the  nations,  has 
taught  this  doctrine  ?  " 

This  would  seem  to  be  a  confidential  letter  from  a 
recluse  to  his  former  bishop  and  protector,  bitterly  con- 
demning the  heresies  and  oppression  of  the  Arians,  and 
expressing  his  preference  for  the  faith  still  kept  at 
Rome.  He  doubtless  courted  an  invitation  to  return 
—but  is  such  a  letter  a  sufficient  basis  for  the  su- 
premacy of  Rome  ?  I  have  already  cited  a  passage 
from  his  works,  in  which  he  declares  all  bishops  are 
equal,  and  here  he  speaks  of  the  Egyptian  confess- 
ors or  bishops  as  colleagues  of  Daraasus,  and  col- 
league does  not  imply  supremacy. 

Does  he  mean  to  say  that  the  church  is  founded  on 
Rome,  or  the  chair  of  St.  Peter  ?  The  learned  Eras- 
mus thinks  otherwise,  for  he  says,  in  his  comments, 
"  Not  upon  Rome,  for  Rome  might  degenerate,  but 
upon  that  faith  which  Peter  professed,  and  which  to 
that  time  the  Church  of  Rome  had  preserved." 

St.  Jerome,  in  his  Epistle  to  Titus,  says :  "  It  be- 
longs to  the  apostolic  dignity  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  the  chm-ch,  which  no  one  should  lay  except  the 
architect ;  but  there  is  no  other  foundation  except 
Jesus  Christ ;  where  that  foundation  is  laid,  inferior 
workmen  may  carry  on  the  buildings." 

Upon  the  words,  "  I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  he  says :  "  Bishops  and 
presbyters,  not  understanding  this  passage,  assume  to 
themselves  something  of  the  superciliousness  of  the 
Pharisees,  thinking  they  can  condemn  the  innocent 
and  absolve  the  guilty,  when  before  God  it  is  not  the 
sentence  of  the  priest,  but  the  life  of  the  accused  that 


THE   CATHOLIC.  101 

is  required.  And  again,  so  should  bishops  know, 
that  they  are  superior  to  the  presbyters  more  by  cus- 
tom than  by  the  truth  of  our  Lord's  disposition."  ^ 

Inasmuch  as  St.  Jerome  admits  that  all  bishops 
are  of  the  same  excellence,  and  of  the  same  episco- 
pate, whether  of  Rome  or  Tunis,  since  he  urges 
that  their  power  but  little,  if  any,  exceeds  that  of  the 
presbyter,  and  rests  more  on  usage  than  divine  au- 
thority ;  since  he  admits  that  the  keys  were  conferred 
alike  on  all  the  apostles,  and  carry  but  a  moderate 
power;  since  he  concedes  that  Christ,  rather  than 
Peter,  is  the  foundation  of  the  church  ;  his  contrast  of 
the  Nicene  faith  of  Rome,  his  own  early  faith,  with 
the  heresy  of  the  Arians,  is  no  proof  of  the  supremacy 
of  Rome, 

I  have  now  answered  all  the  authorities  you  ad- 
vance by  passages  from  Scripture,  from  Catholic 
saints,  or  deductions  therefrom.  Let  me  conclude 
by  citing  one  passage  from  an  eminent  pagan  writer, 
a  contemporary  of  Damasus,  for  it  gives  some  idea  of 
the  imperial  city,  still  a  place  of  great  resort,  splen- 
dor, and  opulence,  and  of  the  gradual  corruption  of 
her  bishops.  Rome,  according  to  Gibbon,  was  still 
twenty-one  miles  in  circuit,  contained  forty-eight 
thousand  buildings,  and  more  than  a  million  people ; 
many  of  its  structures  were  seventy  feet  high,  of 
marble,  with  gilded  portals.  Julian,  the  last  pagan 
emperor,  had  died  but  three  years  previous ;  the  rites 
of  paganism  were  still  celebrated,  and  the  statues  of 
the  gods  still  filled  the  forum,  senate,  and  temples, 
while  the  Christians  worshipped  in  humble  churches. 

^  See  Hieron.  Com.  in  Matth.,  et  Epis.  ad  Titum. 

9* 


102  THE   CATHOLIC. 

The  passage  I  cite  will  throw  also  some  light  on  the 
conduct  and  power  of  Damasus,  and  the  motives 
which  influenced  his  dependent,  St.  Jerome,  when 
writing  the  letter  in  question.  The  historian  Am- 
mianus,  in  describing  the  elevation  of  Damasus  to 
the  bishopric  of  Rome,  a.  d.  366,  observes  :  — 

"  The  praefecture  of  Juventius  was  accompanied 
with  peace  and  plenty:  but  the  tranquillity  of  his 
government  was  soon  disturbed  by  a  bloody  sedition 
of  the  distracted  people.  The  ardor  of  Damasus 
and  Ursinus  to  seize  the  episcopal  seat,  surpassed 
the  ordinary  measure  of  human  ambition.  They 
contended  with  the  rage  of  party ;  the  quarrel  was 
maintained  by  the  wounds  and  death  of  their  fol- 
lowers ;  and  the  praefect,  unable  to  resist  or  to  ap- 
pease the  tumult,  was  constrained,  by  superior  vio- 
lence, to  retire  into  the  suburbs.  Damasus  prevailed ; 
the  well  disputed  victory  remained  on  the  side  of  his 
faction ;  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  dead  bodies  ^ 
were  found  in  the  Basilica  of  Sicininus,  where  the 
Christians  hold  their  religious  assemblies ;  and  it  was 
long  before  the  angry  minds  of  the  people  resumed 
their  accustomed  tranquillity.     When  I  consider  the 

'  Jerome  himself  is  forced  to  allow  "  erudelissimae  interfcctlones 
diversi  sexus  perpetratae."  *  But  an  original  libel  or  petition  of 
two  presbyters  of  the  adverse  party  has  unaccountably  escaped. 
They  affii-m  that  the  doors  of  the  Basilica  were  burnt,  and  that 
the  roof  was  untiled ;  that  Damasus  marched  at  the  head  of  his 
own  clergy,  grave-diggers,  charioteers,  and  hired  gladiators;  that 
none  of  his  party  Avere  killed,  but  that  one  hundred  and  sixty 
dead  bodies  were  found.  This  petition  is  published  by  P.  Sirmind, 
in  the  first  volume  of  his  works. 

•In  Chron.  p.  186. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  103 

splendor  of  the  capital,  I  am  not  astonished  that  so 
valuable  a  prize  should  inflame  the  desires  of  ambi- 
tious men,  and  produce  the  fiercest  and  most  obsti- 
nate contests.  The  successful  candidate  is  secure 
that  he  will  be  enriched  by  the  offerings  of  matrons ;  ^ 
that  as  soon  as  his  dress  is  composed  with  be- 
coming care  and  elegance,  he  may  proceed  in  his 
chariot  through  the  streets  of  Rome ;  ^  and  that  the 
sumptuousness  of  the  imperial  table  will  not  equal 
the  profuse  and  delicate  entertainments  provided 
by  the  taste,  and  at  the  expense  of  the  Roman 
pontiffs." 

"  How  mtich  more  rationally  "  (continues  the  hon- 
est pagan)  "would  those  pontiffs  consult  their  true 
happiness,  if,  instead  of  alleging  the  greatness  of  the 
city  as  an  excuse  for  their  manners,  they  would  imi- 
tate the  exemplary  life  of  some  provincial  bishops, 
whose  temperance  and  sobriety,  whose  mean  apparel 
and  downcast  looks,  recommended  their  pure  and 
modest  virtue  to  the  Deity,  and  his  true  worship- 
pers." "  The  schism  of  Damasus  and  Ursinus,"  re- 
marks Gibbon,  "  was  extinguished  by  the  exile  of  the 
latter ;  and  the  wisdom  of  the  praefect,  Praetextatus, 
restored  the  tranquillity  of  the  city.  Prsetextatus 
was  a  philosophic  pagan,  a  man  of  learning,  of  taste, 
and  politeness ;  who  disguised  a  reproach  in  the  form 

*  The  enemies  of  Damasus  styled  him  Auriscalpius  Matronarum, 
—  the  ladies'  ear-scratcher. 

*  Gregory  Nazianzen  *  describes  the  pride  and  luxury  of  the 
prelates  who  reigned  in  the  imperial  cities ;  their  gilt  car,  fieiy 
steeds,  numerous  train,  etc.  The  crowd  gave  way  as  to  a  wild 
beast. 

*  Orat.  XXXn.  p.  526. 


104  THE  CATHOLIC. 

of  a  jest,  when  he  assured  Damasus,  that  if  he  could 
obtain  the  bishopric  of  Rome,  he  himself  would  im- 
mediately embrace  the  Christian  religion.  This 
lively  picture  of  the  wealth  and  luxury  of  the  popes 
in  the  fourth  century,  becomes  the  more  curious,  as 
it  represents  the  intermediate  degree  between  the 
humble  poverty  of  the  apostolic  fisherman,  and  the 
royal  state  of  a  temporal  prince,  whose  dominions 
extend  from  the  confines  of  Naples  to  the  banks  of 
the  Po." 

What  a  picture  is  this  of  the  meekness,  purity, 
and  temperance  of  the  Roman  bishops  in  the  fourth, 
century  ;  and  does  it  look  like  supremacy  when  pro- 
vincial bishops,  such  as  Basil  and  Athanasius,  con- 
temporaries of  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Chrysostom,  and  St. 
Augustine,  are  held  up  to  the  fierce  and  luxurious 
Damasus  as  examples  to  be  copied  ? 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    XIII. 

Boston,  March  7,  1853. 

Dear  S.  . . :  —  In  my  last  letter  we  discussed  the 
epistle  of  St.  Jerome,  from  his  retreat  in  Syria,  to 
Damasus,  the  aspiring  bishop  of  Rome.  St.  Jerome 
had  officiated  at  Rome  as  the  priest  and  secretary  of 
Damasus,  and  devoted  to  the  faith  of  Rome,  as  es- 
tablished by  the  councils  of  Nice ;  but  impressed 
with  the  vices  of  the  imperial  city,  he  had  fled  to 
Bethlehem,  the  birthplace  of  our  Saviour.  Valens, 
the  associate  of  Valentinian,  was  emperor  of  the 
East,  and  on  the  death  of  St.  Athanasius,  a.  d.  373,  had 
established  Arian  bishops  in  Egypt  and  other  east- 
ern provinces.  St.  Jerome,  in  his  affliction,  writes  to 
his  patron,  giving  a  vivid  picture  of  his  sorrows.  He 
paints  the  defection  of  the  East,  and  assures  him  that 
while  he  asks  succor  of  his  colleague,  the  bishop  of 
Egypt,  he  still  clings  to  the  Nicene  creed,  to  the  true 
faith  still  cherished  in  the  West ;  that  he  is  in  com- 
munion still  with  Rome,  and  cannot  eat  the  paschal 
lamb  out  of  one  house,  or  commune  with  Arians ; 
that  he  still  holds  to  the  chair  of  Peter,  to  the  rock  on 
which  the  church  is  founded. 

He  assures  his  bishop,  that  although  abashed  by 
his  splendor,  he  presumes  on  his  kindness.  He  bids 
him  fling  away  ambition,  virtually  to  forget  for 
awhile  the  pomp    and  vanity  of  this  wicked  world, 

(105) 


106  THE   CATHOLIC. 

and  remember  he  is  a  successor  of  the  fisherman, 
and  a  disciple  of  the  cross.  He  implores  him  to 
defend  and  succor  a  sheep  who  has  wandered  from 
his  fold.  I  have  shown  the  relations  of  the  parties 
which  elucidate  this  epistle.  I  have  proved  by  his 
own  letters,  that  the  blessed  Jerome  esteems  all 
bishops  of  equal  dignity,  of  human,  not  divine  ap- 
pointment ;  that  Christ  is  the  only  rock  on  which  the 
church  is  founded,  and  that  the  keys  were  conferred 
on  all  his  disciples.  As  respects  the  chair  of  St. 
Peter,  St.  Ambrose  will  put  you  at  ease  on  that 
point,  for  he  well  remarks,  "  It  is  not  the  chair  which 
makes  the  bishop,  but  the  bishop  the  chair ;  nor  is  it 
the  place  that  hallows  the  man,  but  it  is  the  man 
that  hallows  the  place."  And  St.  Jerome  himself 
uses  the  strong  expression,  "  Those  are  not  always 
the  children  of  holy  men,  who  occupy  the  places  of 
the  holy." 

While  the  letter  to  DamasUs  fails  entirely  to  sus- 
tain the  pretensions  of  Rome,  it  opens  a  mine  of 
wealth  to  those  who  question  such  pretensions,  for  it 
directs  us  to  the  actual  condition  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  at  this  epoch  in  its  history. 

The  successor  of  the  fishermen  and  disciple  of  the 
cross,  had  not  yet  assumed  the  triple  crown,  or  be- 
come ruler  of  the  world.  His  office  was  now  in  the 
transition  state.  His  aspirations  were  just  begin- 
ning. The  sumptuous  table,  the  gilded  chariot,  the 
insignia  of  office,  the  devotion  and  gifts  of  the  rich 
and  beautiful,  the  vain  pomp  and  glory  of  the  world, 
had  made  that  office  a  prize  to  be  won.  In  place 
of  apostolic  toil  and  martyrdom,  luxury  and  splen- 
dor were  incentives   to   the    aspiring.     The  fire  of 


THE   CATHOLIC.  107 

worldly  ambition  was  kindled,  and  the  pontiff 
rose  to  power,  not  by  an  humble  and  liberal  spirit, 
not  by  eloquence  and  holiness,  but  fought  his  way 
to  the  chair  at  the  head  of  an  armed  faction,  regard- 
less of  bloodshed  and  sacrilege.  Well  might  St. 
Jerome  deprecate  ambition,  and  recur  to  the  humble 
fishermen  of  Galilee,  and  the  cross  of  our  Saviour. 
Well  might  he  urge  Marcella  to  remove  from  Rome 
to  Bethlehem,  and  say,  "  This  is  a  far  holier  place 
than  the  Tarpeian  rock  which  the  frequent  stroke  of 
the  thunderbolt  would  prove  to  have  displeased  our 
Lord."  Well  might  he  fly  from  the  golden  portals, 
splendid  palaces,  and  corruption  of  the  metropolis,  to 
the  deserts  of  Syria,  for  the  pontiff  and  his  clergy  had 
alike  yielded  to  the  vanities  of  the  world.  Within 
four  years  after  the  doors  of  the  chief  church  at 
Rome  were  burned,  the  roof  untiled,  and  an  hundred 
and  sixty  human  beings  slain  by  the  army  of  clergy, 
sextons,  charioteers,  and  hired  gladiators,  who  raised 
Damasus  to  the  chair  of  St.  Peter,  Valentinian,  the 
new  emperor  of  the  West,  was  obliged  to  interpose. 
He  found  the  abuses  of  the  Church  of  Rome  endan- 
gered the  empire,  and  were  tending  to  subvert  the 
State,  and,  a.  d.  370,  he  issued  his  edict  addressed  to 
Damasus,  which  has  become  a  precedent  for  modern 
statutes  of  mortmain,  and  we  may  infer  from  its 
language,  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  evils  from 
which  it  sprung,  and  our  inference  is  confirmed  by 
the  unwilling  testimony  of  St.  Jerome  himself. 

This  edict  was  publicly  read  in  all  the  churches 
of  Rome.  It  admonished  the  clergy  not  to  frequent 
the  houses  of  widows  and  virgins,  and  menaced  their 
disobedience  with  the  intervention  of  the  civil  judge. 


108  THE   CATHOLIC. 

It  forbade  the  clergy  and  their  bishop  to  receive 
any  gifts,  legacy,  or  devise  from  females,  and  in  case 
any  should  be  made,  the  donation  was  confiscated 
by  the  State. 

St.  Jerome  admits  the  licentious  conduct  of  the 
clergy,  concedes  that  they  gradually  wasted  the  for- 
tunes of  the  Roman  ladies,  and  drove  a  gainful  trade 
in  gifts  and  legacies.  Both  St.  Jerome  and  St.  Am- 
brose express  their  sorrow  that  such  intervention 
was  necessary.  They  mourn  for  the  sad  necessity 
from  which  it  arose.  The  former  writes,  "  He  blushes 
to  say  this  law  prohibits  clergy  and  monks  alone 
firom  inheriting  what  may  still  be  bestowed  on  play- 
ers, coachmen,  prostitutes,  and  pagan  priests.  That 
this  prohibition  is  imposed,  not  by  pagans,  but  by 
Christian  emperors,  and  grieves  not  for  the  law, 
but  because  it  was  demanded  by  the  vices  of  the 
clergy."  ^ 

It  was  not  until  the  Church  of  Rome  had  been 
purified  and  reformed  by  the  edict  of  Valentinian, 
that  his  successor,  Theodosius,  was  willing  to  place 
Damasus  on  a  footing  with  Peter,  bishop  of  Alexan- 
dria, when  he  issued  his  decree  to  put  down  pagan- 
ism, and  establish  a  uniform  religion  throughout  his 
empire.  Even  then,  instead  of  resorting  to  the 
blood-stained  and  luxurious  prelate  of  Rome  to  over- 
throw the  statues  of  the  gods  in  the  forum,  temple, 
senate-house,  and  capitol,  he  invokes  the  aid  of  a 
more  humble,  but  more  virtuous  provincial,  the  ven- 
erable Ambrose  of  Milan,  called  by  the  public  voice 
from  a  temporal  to  a  spiritual  dominion,  who  re- 

>  Tom.  I.  p.  13. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  109 

signed  a  throne  for  the  chair  of  a  bishop,  who 
coveted  a  heavenly,  not  an  earthly  diadem;  who 
had  dared  to  withstand  even  Theodosius  in  his  plen- 
itude of  power,  when  he  approached  the  altar  with 
blood-stained  hands. 

His  purity  of  life,  his  apostolic  faith  and  courage, 
his  sanctity  and  devotion,  vanquished  the  gods  of 
Rome,  who  had  for  three  centuries  withstood  the 
Christian  faith,  subverted  their  statues,  and  the  deep- 
seated  reverence  of  the  people  for  their  ancient 
mythology. 

It  is  only  to  be  regretted,  that  some  of  the  errors 
already  beginning  to  overspread  the  church,  cast  a 
few  of  their  shadows  over  such  virtuous  men  and 
devout  Christians  as  Ambrose  and  Chrysostom, 
whUe  they  rest  in  portentous  darkness  on  the  char- 
acter of  the  sacrilegious  Damasus.  But  I  will  not 
enlarge  further  upon  this  topic.  There  is  obviously 
little  of  the  saint  or  the  apostle  in  the  composition 
of  St.  Damasus,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  adulation 
or  prayer  of  his  humble  dependent,  St.  Jerome,  or  in 
his  other  writings,  which  can  establish  either  the 
sanctity  or  supremacy  of  this  pontiff  at  the  close  of 
the  fourth  century. 

Follow,  if  you  please,  the  pages  of  history  from 
this  period  for  centuries  onward,  and  you  will  find 
the  emperors  presiding  over  divided  councils,  the 
influence  of  the  bishops  of  Antioch,  Alexandria, 
Rome,  and  Constantinople,  alternately  predominat- 
ing, and  various  sects  springing  up  to  divide  the 
church. 

Among  the  more  prominent  of  these  were  the 
Nestorian  Christians.  Their  religion,  under  Theo- 
10 


110  THE   CATHOLIC. 

dosius,  was  the  court  religion,  and  now  become  most 
widely  diffused.  Nestorius  removed  from  Antioch  to 
Constantinople  early  in  the  fifth  century.  He  dif- 
fered from  others  on  the  incarnation  and  the  adora- 
tion of  the  Virgin  Mary,  then  recently  introduced. 
Nestorius  proposed  views  which  many  consider 
truthful.  He  was  opposed  to  images  and  other  de- 
partures from  the  early  worship.  His  faith,  approved 
by  an  emperor,  struck  deep  root  and  gained  numer- 
ous supporters. 

The  church  divided.  Eventually  the  emperor 
changed  his  faith,  and  Nestorius  was  banished 
from  the  capital.  But  his  disciples  following  the 
footsteps  of  St.  Thomas,  the  apostle,  bore  his  faith 
across  Assyria,  Persia,  Media,  India,  and  the  wastes 
of  Tartary  to  China. 

They  founded  numerous  churches  and  bishoprics, 
and  in  the  time  of  the  Caliphs,  claimed  to  be  more 
numerous  than  either  the  Eastern  or  Western 
churches.  Calling  themselves  the  true  church,  they 
designated  their  opponents  as  regulists,  idolaters, 
and  heretics. 

When  Portugal  sent  her  first  ships  and  Jesuits  to 
India,  she  found  these  Christians  established  on  the 
Gulf  of  Persia  and  the  coast  of  Malabar,  but  they 
held  the  Roman  Catholics  to  be  idolaters,  and  would 
n(uther  commune  with  them  or  recognize  their  pope. 

The  Jacobites,  Malachites,  and  Armenians,  also 
swerved  from  the  church,  and  some  of  these  denom- 
inations still  exist  in  Ethiopia  and  Abyssinia,  inde- 
pendent of  Rome.  At  length,  a.  d.  728,  Rome  her- 
self, after  conforming  her  faith  more  than  once  to  the 
Eastern  emperors,  and  to  a  succession  of  councils, 


THE   CATHOLIC.  Ill 

varying  in  their  decrees  as  to  the  incarnation  and 
the  respect  to  be  paid  to  images,  seceded  from  the 
Eastern  Empire  and  churches,  and  sought  the  pow- 
erful protection  of  Charlemagne,  leaving  to  their 
fate  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chris- 
tendom. 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    XIV. 

BosTOX,  March  9,  1853. 

My  dear  S.  .  .  :  —  While  closing  my  last  letter  on 
the  subject  of  St.  Jerome's  epistle  to  Damasus,  and 
the  secession  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  I  received  the 
January  number  of  the  Edinburgh  Review,  a  period- 
ical marked  by  candor  and  learning,  and  which  I 
now  send  to  your  address.  You  will  notice  in  it  a 
review  of  no  less  than  four  modern  histories  of  the 
travels  and  exploits  of  St.  Paul,  tracing  him  from 
the  Greek  school  of  Tarsus,  which  gave  tutors  to 
Augustus  and  Tiberius  Caesar,  his  contemporaries, 
and  surpassed  in  reputation  the  most  distinguished 
schools  of  Greece,  Egypt,  and  Italy.  It  follows  him  • 
to  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  and  to  his  studies  among 
the  leading  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem. 

The  article  before  me  points  out  the  great  requi- 
sites he  united  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  his 
knowledge  of  the  religion,  literature,  and  language 
both  of  the  Greeks  and  Hebrews,  his  talents  as  an 
orator,  his  high  privileges  as  a  Roman  citizen. 

This  article  on  Saul  of  Tarsus  gives  expression 
to  my  own  views  and  feelings.  Let  me  ask  for  it 
your  candid  and  careful  consideration.  Observe  how 
he  stands  forth  from  the  canvas,  in  contrast  with  the 
less  active  and  efficient  St.  Peter. 

(112) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  113 

The  same  review  contains  another  article  of  deep 
interest.  It  is  upon  a  treatise  by  the  Chevalier  Bun» 
sen,  for  twelve  years  minister  of  his  country  at 
Rome,  and  for  twenty  in  London,  in  which  he  pays 
a  high  tribute  to  the  faith  and  liturgy  of  the  Episco- 
pal church,  and  identifies  a  most  important  manu- 
script, just  discovered  by  an  agent  of  France  in  a 
Greek  monastery.  He  proves  it  to  be  the  work  of 
St.  Hippolytus,  a  pupil  of  Irenaeus,  the  disciple  of 
Polycarp,  ordained  by  the  Apostle  St.  John.  St. 
Hippolytus  was  an  assistant  bishop  of  Rome  from 
A.  D.  199  to  A.  D.  222,  and  canonized  for  his  holiness 
and  his  treatise  against  all  the  heresies.  This 
work  is  now  recovered.  He  was  stationed  at  the 
new  port,  constructed  by  Trajan,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Tiber.  His  statue  in  marble,  representing 
him  in  a  bishop's  chair,  found  three  centuries  since 
in  the  cemetery  where  he  was  buried,  now  adorns 
the  Vatican  library,  and  his  treatise  is  identified  by 
comparison  with  various  extracts  in  other  authors 
and  its  own  internal  evidence. 

The  book  ia  important,  as  it  gives  us  some  very 
curious  facts  respecting  the  character  and  history  of 
two  of  the  early  popes  of  Rome. 

You  may  remember  the  position  advanced  by  a 
Roman  bishop,  that  there  were  no  heresies  before 
Luther.  But,  strange  confutation  !  This  very  work 
is  a  specific  answer  to  thirty-two  heresies,  one  of 
which  originated  with  Nicholas,  a  deacon  of  the 
apostles ;  and  St.  Hippolytus  tells  us  that  his  work 
on  heresies  is  a  synopsis  of  the  lectures  of  Irenseus, 
bishop  of  Lyons,  whose  letter  you  have  quoted. 

So  far  was  St.  Hippolytus  at  this  early  period  from 
10* 


114  THE   CAXnOLIC. 

considering  the  church  of  Rome  the  supreme  Catholic 
chm-ch,  which  had  a  right  to  issue  its  decrees  to  all 
the  world,  that  he  puts  it  in  distinct  opposition  to 
the  catholic  church. 

At  this  time,  singular  as  it  may  appear  to  a  cham- 
pion of  Rome,  there  was  no  Vulgate,  and  St.  Hippo- 
lytus  performed  the  services  of  his  church  and  deliv- 
ered his  sermons  in  the  Greek  language,  not  because 
it  was  held  to  be  a  sacred  tongue,  but  because  it 
was  the  language  of  the  commercial  world. 

It  appears  also,  by  his  work,  that  the  "  clergy  were 
not  then  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  sacrificial  or 
mediatorial  priests,  in  the  sense  of  the  late  Roman 
pretensions,  after  the  introduction  of  the  sacrifice  of 
the  Mass,  nor  were  they  bound  by  a  vow  of  celi- 
bacy." 

St.  Hippolytus  also  recognizes  in  the  clearest  and 
strongest  manner  the  authority  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  the  duty  of  all  to  make  them  their  study 
and  their  guide.  He  says  :  "  There  is  one  God,  my 
brethren,  and  him  we  know  only  by  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. For  in  like  manner  as  he  who  wishes  to  learn 
the  wisdom  of  this  world  cannot  accomplish  it  with- 
out studying  the  doctrine  of  the  philosophers ;  thus 
all  those  who  wish  to  practise  divine  wisdom  will  not 
learn  from  any  other  source  than  firom  the  word  of 
God.  Let  us,  therefore,  see  what  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures pronounce  ;  let  us  understand  what  they  teach, 
and  let  us  believe  as  the  Father  wishes  to  be  believed, 
and  praise  the  Son  as  he  wishes  to  be  praised,  and 
accept  the  Holy  Spirit  as  he  wishes  to  be  given,  not 
according  to  our  own  will,  nor  according  to  our  own 
reason,  nor  forcing  what  God  has  given,  but  let  us 


THE   CATHOLIC.  115 

see  all  this  as  he  has  willed  to  show  it  by  the  Holy 
Scriptures." 

The  chevalier  ascribes  to  St.  Hippolytus  the  col- 
lection in  the  East  of  the  apostolic  canons,  and  pre- 
sents them  in  his  treatise,  a  most  important  evidence 
against  the  pretensions  of  Rome.  Let  me  conclude 
this  letter  with  a  sketch  from  St.  Hippolytus  of  two 
of  the  early  popes,  Zephyrinus  and  Callistus,  A.  D. 
199  to  A.  D.  222,  and  you  shall  judge  how  much  they 
exhibited  of  the  virtues  of  St.  Peter.  Callistus,  the 
fifteenth  bishop  of  Rome,  was  a  Christian  slave. 
His  master  allowed  him  to  keep  a  bank,  or  exchange 
office,  in  which  many  widows  and  brethren  made  de- 
posits. But  Callistus  was  a  rogue,  and  made  away 
with  the  simis  intrusted  to  him,  and  when  the 
fraud  could  no  longer  be  concealed,  he  ran  away  and 
concealed  himself  in  a  ship  about  to  leave  the  port. 
Being  discovered,  he  was  returned  to  his  master,  and 
subjected  to  the  pistrinum  or  domestic  treadmill. 
Subsequently  he  broke  into  a  Jewish  synagogue,  and 
disturbed  the  Jews  at  their  devotions.  For  this, 
being  brought  before  the  praetor,  he  was  scourged, 
and  then  exiled  to  the  unhealthy  part  of  Sardinia. 
After  some  years'  detention  there,  he  procured  a  release 
by  artifice,  and  returned  to  Rome.  Here  he  attached 
himself  to  Zephyrinus,  a  covetous  old  man,  who  was 
soon  after  made  the  fourteenth  bishop  of  Rome. 
Having  obtained  an  ascendency  over  the  bishop,  who 
was  ignorant  as  well  as  covetous,  and  received  bribes, 
Callistus  was  employed  to  manage  his  clergy,  and 
upon  the  death  of  Zephyrinus  was  himself  elected  to 
the  office  of  bishop  of  Rome,  an  office  he  had  long 
coveted. 


116  THE   CATHOLIC. 

His  doctrines  correspond  with  his  history.  He 
held,  to  screen  himself,  that  no  bishop  could  be  de- 
posed for  any  sin,  be  it  even  a  sin  unto  death.  He 
defended  the  heresies  of  Noetus,  and  claimed  the 
power  to  absolve  the  guilty.  This  is  the  brief  history 
of  St.  Callistus.  Do  not  imagine  this  picture  is  over- 
drawn ;  it  is  not  portrayed  by  a  modern  reformer;  it  is 
but  a  miniature  sketch  by  the  blessed  Hippolytus. 
The  recording  angel,  who  must  have  blushed  for  the 
sins  and  failings  of  his  superiors  as  he  wrote  them 
down  for  posterity,  and  whose  writings  seem  subse- 
quently to  have  been  banished  from  Rome,  was  the 
assistant  bishop  of  a  suburb  of  Rome,  a  saint  of  the 
Romish  calendar.  Do  you  not  detect,  in  the  avarice, 
corruption,  and  fraud  of  such  unworthy  bishops,  the 
early  development  of  that  craft  and  avarice  which, 
under  Damasus,  expanded  into  ambition,  pomp,  and 
display,  and  under  the  wing  of  Charlemagne  and  his 
illiterate  successors  ripened  into  temporal  and  spiritual 
dominion,  and  the  most  unbounded,  as  well  as  un- 
founded, pretensions  ? 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 

10* 


LETTER    XV. 

Boston,  March  20,  I85S. 

Dear  S.  . . :  —  Since  I  last  wrote  you  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion,  I  have  been  deeply  engaged  in  im- 
portant suits,  and  made  beside  a  winter  journey  of 
four  hundred  miles.  I  have,  however,  by  availing 
myself  of  the  fragments  of  time,  been  able  to  read 
the  treatise  of  Faber,  entitled  The  Difficulties  of 
Romanism,  the  four  volumes  of  Bunsen's  Hippoly- 
tus,  fresh  from  the  London  press,  and  Milner's  End 
of  Controversy,  to  which  you  drew  my  attention.  I 
have  been  delighted  with  the  work  of  Faber. 

It  is  elevated  in  its  tone,  candid,  and  logical.  It 
deals  fairly  with  the  French  bishop,  to  whose  treatise 
it  replies.  The  Chevalier  Bunsen  also  gives  us  a 
work  almost  invaluable,  for  it  presents  a  picture  of 
the  Church  of  Rome  at  the  close  of  the  second  cen- 
tury, one  hundred  years  only  after  the  death  of  St. 
John,  a  period  respecting  which  there  is  almost  a 
blank  in  history.  He  has  published  also  the  early 
canons  of  the  church,  revised  and  corrected  by  the 
collation  of  the  earliest  Greek,  Syriac,  and  Coptic 
manuscripts.  The  position  of  the  Chevalier  entitles 
him  to  the  highest  confidence.  He  is  not  a  proselyt- 
ing priest,  but  a  gentleman  of  high  attainments,  and 

(117) 


118  THE  CATHOLIC. 

for  many  years  the  resident  minister  of  the  court  of 
Prussia  at  Rome  and  London. 

He  presents  an  array  of  facts  and  arguments  ad- 
verse to  the  claims  of  Rome  in  a  calm  and  dignified 
manner,  and  I  have  no  doubt  his  work,  so  opportune, 
will  make  a  great  sensation  in  the  world  of  letters. 
I  have  read  also  the  work  of  Milner,  which  falls 
greatly  below  the  others  in  candor  and  philosophy. 
If  it  has  never  been  answered,  (which  permit  me  to 
doubt,)  it  easily  may  be,  for  no  one  familiar  with  the 
subject  can  be  at  a  loss  for  answers.  Perhaps  no 
scholar  has  thought  it  worthy  of  notice,  for  it  is  not 
addressed  to  the  philosopher,  but  to  the  illiterate,  and 
is  neither  truthful  in  its  facts  nor  logical  in  its  conclu- 
sions. I  am  at  a  loss  to  determine  whether  it  errs 
from  ignorance  or  design,  whether  it  is  written  by 
one  who  is  not  conversant  with  truth,  or  by  one  who 
adopts  the  Jesuits'  maxim,  "  that  the  end  sanctions 
the  means." 

The  impression  that  it  has  left  upon  my  mind  is, 
that  the  writer  had  more  of  the  craft  of  the  serpent 
than  the  innocence  of  the  dove,  for  the  work  is  spe- 
cious in  its  character,  bold  in  its  assumptions,  and 
studious  to  suppress  whatever  makes  against  its  pre- 
tensions. It  is  also  particularly  adroit  in  presenting 
the  foes  of  Rome  as  avaricious  monarchs,  licentious 
priests,  or  members  of  other  denominations,  whom  it 
arms  with  arguments  alike  frivolous  and  absurd.  I 
can  conceive  that  such  a  book  might  bewilder  a 
youth ;  but  permit  me  to  hope  that  when  he  has  ad- 
vanced to  some  knowledge  of  history,  some  acquaint- 
ance with  logic,  and  attained  to  a  glimmering  of 
theology,  he  will  feel  surprised  that  a  work  so  shal- 


THE  CATHOLIC.  119 

low,  ever  made  the  least  impression  on  his  brain.  I 
have  not  time  to  follow  the  writer  through  all  his 
windings,  but  .layman  as  I  am,  I  pledge  myself  in  a 
few  brief  intervals  of  leisure,  to  show  him  up  as  one 
unworthy  of  confidence.  I  must  again  enter  the 
arena,  and  I  feel  in  my  descent  from  a  converse  with 
Bunsen  and  Faber  to  the  discussion  of  Milner,  as  if 
I  were  going  down  from  the  high  courts  of  judica- 
ture, hallowed  by  Wirt,  Story,  and  Webster,  to  the 
altercations  of  the  petty  sessions.  You  have  sum- 
moned me  to  an  impure  atmosphere,  to  encounter  a 
less  noble  adversary,  and  I  will  sacrifice  pleasure  to 
duty. 

The  first  point  in  Milner  to  which  I  ask  your  atten- 
tion, is  his  apology  for  the  use  of  a  foreign  tongue  in 
divine  service,  p.  287,  288.  That  St.  Peter  and  St. 
Paul  established  the  Latin  liturgy  in  the  Church  of 
Rome  and  elsewhere,  where  it  now  prevails ;  and  that 
when  the  Western  church  was  established,  Latin  was 
the  vulgar  tongue  of  Europe.  What  a  deep  scholar 
have  we  here !  What  an  admirable  excuse  for  the 
Latin  service  throughout  Europe!  He  had  not  dis- 
covered that  for  the  three  first  centuries  Greek  was 
the  language  of  the  religious,  commercial,  and  lit- 
erary world.  "  The  Greek  is  read  in  almost  every 
nation,  the  Latin  is  confined  within  its  own  narrow 
territory."  ^  He  did  not  know  that  the  tutors  and 
schoolmasters  of  Rome  were  from  Grecian  schools ; 
that  Clement,  Ignatius,  Hippolytus,  and  Polycarp, 
Eusebius,  and  even  St.  Chrysostom,  and  other  ancient 

^  Gracca  Icguntur  in  omnibus  fere  gentibus,  Latina  suis  finibua 
exiguis  sane  continentur.  —  Cicero. 


120  THE  CATHOLIC. 

fathers,  wrote  and  preached  in  Greek,  and  we  know 
them  by  a  Latin  version,  and  that  the  bishop  of  the 
Port  of  Rome  wrote  his  sermons  in  Greek,  and  had 
Greek  inscribed  on  his  monument  at  Rome ;  that  St. 
Jerome  did  not  translate  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Latin  Vulgate  until  the  close  of  the  fourth  century. 

How  familiar  this  profound  theologian  must  be 
with  the  original  authors !  Does  he  derive  his  facts 
as  to  the  use  of  the  Latin  tongue  from  the  traditions, 
or  the  inspirations  of  Rome  ?  Is  his  mere  ipse  dixit, 
in  the  face  of  history  and  manuscripts,  to  be  the  end 
of  controversy? 

Again,  our  author,  from  pages  52  to  85,  endeavors 
to  weaken  the  authority  of  the  Gospel,  by  suggesting 
that  our  Saviour  gave  no  express  orders  to  his  disci- 
ples to  write  the  gospels,  and  endeavors  to  raise  tra- 
dition above  the  New  Testament  itself,  by  disparag- 
ing the  latter.  He  is  obliged,  however,  at  page  62, 
to  concede  it  was  written  by  divine  inspiration ;  and 
is  not  this  a  command  from  heaven  to  destroy  the 
whole  force  of  his  argument? 

Again,  he  says,  (page  87,)  that  St.  Paul  refers  to 
the  Old  Testament  alone  in  his  solemn  injunctions 
to  Timothy,^  "  To  continue  in  the  things  he  has 
learned,"  urging,  "  That  from  a  child  thou  hast 
known  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make 
thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus.  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of 
God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction."  JNIilner  would  exclude  all  the  evangel- 
ists from  Scripture,  for  he  tells  us  (page  88)  that  the 

•  2  Timothy  iii. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  ^  121 

"  Old  Testament  was  the  only  Scripture  which  Tim- 
othy could  have  read  in  his  childhood."  There  is  no 
reliance  to  be  placed  on  this  statement. 

St.  Paul,  just  before  his  martyrdom,  in  his  old  age, 
writes  to  Timothy,  that  he  had  known  him  from  his 
boyhood.  He  refers  repeatedly  to  his  pious  grand- 
mother and  mother,  and  to  his  early  youth.  His  epistle 
was  written  long  after  the  death  of  our  Saviour,  and 
the  first  writings  of  the  apostles,  and  it  may  be  pre- 
sumed, long  after  the  apostolic  canons  were  framed 
by  them,  which  prescribe  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, both  new  and  old.  Milner  has  no  warrant  for 
his  rash  assertion ;  and  when  St.  Paul  tells  us,  "  All 
scripture  is  given  by  inspkation  of  God,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
instruction  in  righteousness ; "  when  even  the  Ro- 
manist, Milner,  concedes,  as  he  does,  that  the  New 
Testament  is  a  Scripture  given  by  inspiration,  why 
does  not  the  command  of  our  Saviour  to  search  the 
Scriptures,  and  the  dying  injunction  of  St.  Paul,  em- 
brace the  whole  of  the  inspired  Scripture,  whether 
complete  or  incomplete,  when  such  command  or  in- 
junction were  given  ?  Shall  we  elevate  a  proselyting 
priest  of  a  decaying  church  above  our  Lord  and  the 
apostles  ? 

Milner  would  strive  first  to  elevate  tradition  above 
Scripture,  and  then  infer  from  that  tradition  a  power 
in  a  corrupt  church  to  depart  even  from  Scripture 
itself;  but  he  makes  a  signal  failm-e  in  his  essay. 
The  Episcopal  church,  and  nearly  all  Protestants, 
allow  some  force  to  tradition.  They  respect  those 
usages  and  observances  which  can  be  traced  back  to 
the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  draw  from  tradition  some 

11 


122  THE   CATHOLIC. 

proof  that  Scripture  itself  is  authentic ;  but  it  will  re- 
quire more  than  a  Milner  to  convince  them  that  tra- 
dition is  to  obliterate  Scripture  itself,  or  warrant  a 
departure  from  its  clear  commands,  and  the  express 
words  of  the  apostles.  They  will  never  allow  the 
plea  of  tradition  to  authorize  modern  innovations, 
such  as  the  new  article  of  faith  which  the  present 
pope  seeks  to  introduce  into  the  creed  of  Rome, 
namely,  the  immaculate  conception  of  the  virgin,  vir- 
tually this :  that  all  Christians  must  believe,  on  pain 
of  damnation,  that  the  mother  of  our  Lord  shared 
his  divine  prerogatives,  in  being  exempt  from  orig- 
inal sin ;  or  the  doctrine,  now  in  fashion  at  Rome, 
that  the  papal  monarchy  is  limited  only  by  the  papal 
will,  (which  you  must  promise  to  obey,)  and  that 
nothing  can  correct  or  arrest  the  pope,  whatever  he 
may  do,  or  whatever  he  may  decree  in  regard  to  the 
Christian  religion.  Can  a  free-born  American  swear 
fealty  at  the  altar  to  a  foreign  potentate  who  claims 
to  be  an  absolute  sovereign  and  pontiff?  Can  he 
put  faith  in  man  rather  than  in  God  ?  If  he  can, 
when  he  swears  fealty  to  one  whom  cardinals  and 
prelates  have  placed  on  God's  altar,  and  worshipped 
as  a  deity,  let  him  remember  that  when  Herod 
was  proclaimed  a  God,^  he  was  smitten  and  eaten  by 
worms ;  and  let  him  reflect  that  if  the  popes  of 
Rome  have  not  thus  perished,  they  have  reduced  the 
Roman  race,  —  once  the  noblest  on  earth,  —  to  mis- 
ery, degradation,  and  despair;  that  they  have  been 
trampled  upon  by  emperors,  kings,  and  usurpers,  and 
owe  a  precarious  existence  to  foreign  intervention. 

1  Acts  12:  22. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  123 

Again,  our  most  accurate  and  learned  doctor  of 
Rome  assures  us  (p.  172,)  that  Zephyrinus,  Callistus, 
and  other  popes  who  presided  over  the  church  in  the 
third  age, "  were  all  eminent  for  their  sanctity."  I  have 
given  you  a  specimen  of  the  sanctity  of  Zephyrinus 
and  Callistus,  recorded  by  a  Roman  saint ;  and  if 
sanctity  consists  of  avarice,  corruption,  profligacy, 
cheating,  and  heresy,  it  was  personified  in  them.  Is 
this  the  sanctity  of  Rome  ?  Are  we  to  take  the  picture 
in  black  and  white  of  a  sainted  bishop  of  extreme 
unholiness,  or  the  traditional  purity  which  is  present- 
ed to  us  by  the  infallible  exposition  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  through  the  ignorance  of  her  infallible  priest  ? 
Again,  the  infallible  MUner  assures  us,  in  the  most 
positive  terms  (page  230),  "  That  it  is  incontestable, 
and  has  been  carried  to  the  highest  degree  of  moral 
evidence,  that  all  the  Christians  of  all  the  nations  of 
the  world,  Greeks  as- well  as  Latins,  Africans  as  well 
as  Em'opeans,  except  Protestants  and  a  handful  of 
Vaudois  peasants,  have  in  all  ages  believed,  and  still 
believe,  in  the  real  presence  and  transubstantiation." 
And  on  page  79  he  insists  that  the  Nestorians  and 
Greeks  broke  off  from  the  Latin  church  before  the 
twelfth  century  ;  that  they  and  all  the  other  Christian 
sectaries  of  ancient  dates,  in  every  article  in  dispute 
between  Catholics  and  Protestants,  (except  that  con- 
cerning the  pope's  supremacy,)  agree  with  the  former 
and  condemn  the  latter."  If  he  means  by  Catholics 
the  Church  of  Rome,  and  that  we  are  bound  to  pre- 
sume from  the  whole  tenor  of  his  book,  then  we  have 
a  long  series  of  positive  untruths,  which  are  refuted 
by  conclusive  evidence.  Let  me  bring  the  whole  ar- 
ray against  this  mendacious  priest. 


124  THE   CATHOLIC. 

1st.  There  is  no  truth  in  the  position  that  all  Chris- 
tians, of  all  nations  and  in  all  ages,  except  the  Vau- 
dois  and  modern  Protestants,  believed  in  the  real 
presence.  Catholic  writers  prove  the  utter  falsehood 
of  this  assertion,  for  even  popes  and  the  Catholic 
church  itself,  and  the  holy  fathers,  hold  the  contrary. 
In  my  letter  of  February  24th,  I  showed  you  that  Pope 
Gelasius  and  Pope  Leo  the  Great,  a  canonized  saint, 
have  left  writings,  in  which  they  both  deny  the  real 
presence.  I  demonstrated  also,  by  their  own  books, 
that  the  blessed  Fathers,  Cyril,  Cyprian,  Ambrose,  and 
Augustine,  and  the  celebrated  Theodoretus,  and  Ter- 
tullian,  aU  deny,  in  express  and  positive  terms,  the 
real  presence  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  at  the 
communion. 

Even  St.  Chrysostom,  who  is  confirmed  by  Origen, 
says  :  "  The  body  of  Christ  is  the  dead  carcass,  and 
we  ourselves  must  be  the  eagles.  This  is  a  table 
of  eagles,  not  of  jays,"  meaning  we  must  fly  to  heaven 
on  eagles'  wings  to  partake  of  Christ,  when  we  take 
the  communion,  and  not  partake  of  it  like  voracious 
jays.  From  these  passages  the  inferences  are  irresist- 
ible that  the  real  presence  was  denied  by  some  stand- 
ard authorities  of  the  Catholic  church  during  the  first 
five  centuries,  nor  was  it  established  as  a  doctrine  of 
the  church  until  the  council  of  the  Latin  church, 
held  A.  D.  1215,  by  Pope  Innocent  III.,  long  after  the 
secession  of  the  Latin  church  from  the  Greek  first 
gave  it  explicit  sanction  and  the  name  of  transub- 
stantiation.  Even  the  Greek  church  does  not  adopt 
the  doctrine  of  the  real  presence ;  and  yet,  in  the  face 
of  all  these  authorities,  the  veracious  MUner  says  that 
Berengarius  was  the  first  to  doubt,  and  claims  all 


THE    CATHOLIC.  125 

Christians  of  every  age,  except  the  Vaudois  and 
modern  Protestants,  as  believers  in  the  doctrine. 

2d.  He  says  the  Nestorians  broke  from  the  Catholic 
church,  and  they  differed  from  it  in  no  point  now  dis- 
puted by  Protestants,  except  the  pope's  supremacy. 
This  is  entirely  unfounded  in  truth.  Nestorius,  the 
archbishop  of  Constantinople,  was  at  the  head  of  the 
Greek  church,  and  was  sustained  by  the  emperor 
and  the  church.  They  broke  from  him,  not  he  from 
them,  and  he  was  sent  into  banishment.  The  Nesto- 
rians still  exist.  They  not  only  denied  the  papal  su- 
premacy, when  first  asserted,  but  both  then  and 
now  consider  the  homage  paid  by  Romanists  to 
pictures  and  images,  and  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  as 
mere  idolatry  ;  they  reject  the  doctrine  of  auricular 
confession,  the  mass,  and  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy, 
as  well  as  the  papal  supremacy,  as  you  will  find 
by  various  authors  cited  by  Gibbon,  c.  47,  who  di- 
rectly contradicts  the  barefaced  assertion  of  the  au- 
thentic Milner. 

3d.  He  says  the  Greeks  broke  from  the  Catholic 
church  before  the  twelfth  century.  History  proves 
this  statement  also  to  be  untrue.  We  learn  from 
it  that  the  Latiti  church,  disaffected  on  the  subject 
of  the  festival  of  Easter,  mourned  for  its  seques- 
tered property,  and  itself  seceded  from  the  Catholic 
church,  and  resisting  the  forces  of  the  Greek  em- 
peror, sought  the  protection  of  Charlemagne.  The 
Greek  church  this  day  has  far  stronger  claims  to 
be  the  true  church  than  the  seceding  Church  of 
Rome.  It  traces  its  bishops  in  direct  succession 
from  the  apostles ;  it  retains  in  the  original  Greek 
the  Scriptures  and  canons  given  to  it  in  Greek  by 
11* 


126  THE   CATHOLIC. 

the  fathers;  it  recognizes  the  authority  of  those 
Scriptures,  and  doubtless  respects  its  old  bishops 
and  saints,  the  Greek  Fathers  Irenaeus,  Polycarp, 
Ignatius,  and  Chrysostom,  as  exponents  of  those 
Scriptures.  It  adheres  to  their  precepts  and  expo- 
sition more  closely  than  the  Latin  church,  and 
compared  with  it,  as  the  true  church,  has  the  van- 
tage ground. 

Why  is  it  not  superior  in  authority  to  the  Church 
of  Rome? 

4th.  Milner  insists  that  the  Greeks,  and  other  ancient 
schismatics,  differed  from  his  church  on  no  points 
contested  by  modern  Protestants,  except  the  pope's 
supremacy.  But  history  tells  us  the  Paulicians  re- 
jected images  and  other  innovations ;  and  we  learn 
from  the  most  conclusive  evidence  both  of  history 
and  travellers,  that  the  Greek  church  of  Russia 
allows  and  recommends  its  flocks  to  read  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  Rome,  in  many  countries,  prohibits 
under  pain  of  imprisonment,  and  for  reading  wliich, 
within  three  months,  the  Madiai  family  now  toil  as 
galley  slaves.  The  Greeks  have  rejected,  and  still 
reject,  the  real  presence,  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy, 
the  sacrament  of  one  kind,  the  worship  of  images, 
private  masses,  and  indulgences;  and  recognize  no 
infallibility  or  divine  inspiration  on  the  part  of  the 
pope  or  his  priesthood. 

I  have  given  you  a  series  of  distinct  and  serious 
falsehoods,  branching  out  into  other  mistatements, 
embodied  in  a  work  which  is  placed  in  the  hands 
of  unsuspicious  youths,  to  allure  them  into  the 
meshes  of  Rome.  I  have  not  leisure  to  point  out 
all   tlie   errors   and    perversions    of    this    fallacious 


THE   CATHOLIC.  127 

writer.  But  what  trust  can  you  place  in  the  state- 
ments or  inferences  of  one  who  in  so  many  instances 
diverges  from  the  sacred  truth  ?  May  we  not  safely 
conclude  with  the  Roman  classic, 

"  Sic  ab  uno  disce  omnes." 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER   XVI. 

Boston,  November  1,  1855. 

My  dear  S.  .  .  :  —  More  than  two  years  have  now 
elapsed  since  I  wrote  you  upon  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  traced  her  departure  from  the  faith  and  worship 
of  the  primitive  church.  I  did  not  finish  the  series 
of  letters  originally  proposed,  for  I  ceased  to  write 
as  soon  as  you  yielded  to  my  facts  and  arguments. 
You  require  no  more  letters  to  keep  you  a  Protes- 
tant ;  but  a  number  of  clergymen  have  urged  me  so 
strongly  to  finish  this  series  of  letters,  and  then  to 
publish  them,  that  I  am  induced  to  comply. 

The  materials  are  drawn  from  many  authors.  The 
arguments  are  condensed,  and  doubtless  a  jurist  may 
present  some  points  in  a  novel  light.  It  is  possible, 
too,  that  at  this  moment,  when  the  country  begins  to 
appreciate  the  efforts  of  Rome  to  establish  her  col- 
leges, churches,  and  convents,  in  all  our  States,  to 
convert  imaginative  ladies  and  clergymen,  and  to  ac- 
cumulate vast  possessions  in  the  hands  of  her  bish- 
ops, that  such  letters  may  prove  useful  to  the  public. 
Should  they  aid  others  as  they  have  aided  you,  I 
shall  not  regret  the  effort  to  complete  them. 

In  my  seventh  letter,  allusion  was  made  to  the 
homage  paid  in  Romish  churches  to  images,  to  the 
wor.->hip  of  the  Virgin,  and  to  the  waxen  candles 
borne  in  procession,  and  to  the  relics  and  holy  water, 

(128) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  129 

which  are  still  used  to  impress  the  ignorant  and  super- 
stitious. 

It  is  my  purpose  now  to  prove  that  the  Church  of 
Rome,  in  resorting  to  these  devices,  has  not  only- 
departed  from  the  primitive  church,  but  has  copied, 
in  many  particulars,  the  unholy  rites  of  paganism.  In 
doing  so,  I  shall  avail  myself  freely  of  a  letter  from 
Rome,  written  a.  d.  1729  by  the  celebrated  Conyers 
Middleton. 

This  eminent  scholar  had  ample  opportunity  to 
witness  the  pageantry  of  the  church,  and  the  arti- 
fices to  which  it  resorts  in  Italy,  without  caution  or 
reserve.  He  traced  many  of  its  rites  to  their  origin, 
through  the  memorials  of  the  past,  which  still  exist 
in  that  classic  land. 

On  entering  the  churches  he  was  particularly  struck 
with  the  use  of  incense,  the  smoke  and  scent  of  which 
filled  the  churches  after  every  solemn  service,  and  re- 
called to  his  mind  the  heathen  temples  and  altars 
which  are  seldom  or  never  mentioned  by  the 
ancients  without  the  terms  of  perfumed  or  incensed. 
In  some  of  these  churches  where  you  see  numerous 
altars  smoking  with  incense,  how  easy  it  is  to  imag- 
ine ourself  i-n  the  temple  of  Venus,  — 

"  Ubi  templum  illl  centumque  Sabseo, 
Tbure  calent  ara?,  sertisque  recentibus  balant."  ^ 

And  how  readily  will  he  recall  the  lines  of  Virgil :  — 

"  Thuricremis  cum  dona  imponeret  aris."  ^ 

'"Her  hundred  altars  there  with  garlands  crowned, 
And  richest  incense  smoking,  breathe  around 
Sweet  odors." —  Virgil's  yEneid,  I.  417. 

2  "  While  placing  gifts  on  incense-burning  altars." 

^neid,  IV.  453. 


130  THE  CATHOLIC.  ";* 

And  the  verses  of  Ovid :  — 

"  Saepe  Jovem  vidi  cum  jam  sua  mitterc  vellet 
Fulmina,  tbure  dato  sustiuuisse  mauum."  ^ 

In  the  old  bas-reliefs,  virhere  a  heathen  sacrifice  is 
represented,  we  never  fail  to  see  a  boy  in  white  at- 
tending upon  the  priest,  with  a  little  box  in  his  hands 
containing  the  incense  for  the  altar.  And  still  in  the 
Church  of  Rome  there  is  seen  a  boy  in  a  surplice 
waiting  at  the  altar  with  the  sacred  utensils,  among 
which  is  the  thuribulum  or  vessel  of  incense,  which 
priests  with  much  ceremony  wave  over  the  altar 
during  the  service. 

Under  the  pagan  emperors  the  use  of  incense  for 
any  religious  purpose  was  thought  so  contrary  to  the 
obligations  of  Christianity,  that  in  their  persecutions, 
the  mode  of  convicting  a  Christian  was  by  requiring 
him  to  throw  the  least  grain  of  it  into  the  censer  or 
on  to  the  altar. 

The  Christian  emperors,  on  the  contrary,  consid- 
ered the  rite  so  heathenish  .that,  under  Theodosius, 
the  very  houses  or  places  where  it  was  burned  were 
by  law  confiscated  to  government. 

The  next  thing  which  attracts  the  notice  of  stran- 
gers visiting  •  the  churches  of  Rome  is  the  use  of  holy 
water.  This  is  taken  fi-om  a  marble  font  near  the 
door,  and  the  priests  sprinkle  with  it  all  who  enter  or 
depart.  Middleton  informs  us  that  even  his  own 
horses  were  sprinkled  with  holy  water  on  a  festal 
day,  by  a  priest  in  a  surplice,  for  the  moderate  sum 

*  "  I  liavc  often  seen  Jove,  -when  about  to  send  Us  thunderbolt, 
checked  by  the  offer  of  incense." 


THE   CATHOLIC.  131 

of  one  shilling  and  sixpence,  just  as  the  horses  in  the 
Circensian  games  were  sprinlded  with  water. 

This  practice  is  drawn  so  directly  from  paganism 
that  the  church  does  not  scruple  to  avow  it.  The 
Jesuit  La  Cerda,  in  commenting  on  this  passage  of 
Virgil,— 

"  Spargens  rore  levi,"  ^ 
says : — 

"  Hence  was  derived  the  custom  of  the  holy 
church,  to  provide  holy  water  at  the  entrance  of  the 
churches."  "  Amula,"  says  the  learned  Montfaucon, 
"  was  a  vase  of  holy  water  placed  by  the  heathens  at 
the  entrance  of  their  temples  to  sprinlde  themselves 
with,  and  rich  vases,  designed  to  hold  this  water, 
were  given  by  Croesus  to  the  temple  of  Apollo  at 
Delphi."  The  very  composition  of  this  holy  water, 
namely,  salt  mingled  with  water,  was  the  same 
among  the  heathen  as  it  now  is  among  the  papists, 
and  so  important  a  part  of  their  religious  offices  did 
it  form,  that  the  method  of  excommunicating  in  pa- 
gan times  was  to  forbid  access  to  the  holy  water. 

The  aspersorium  or  sprinkling  brush,  like  that  now 
used  by  the  priests  of  Rome,  may  be  seen  in  the  bas- 
reliefs,  or  ancient  coins,  among  the  insignia  of  the 
pagan  priesthood. 

The  primitive  fathers  condemn  the  use  of  holy 
water,  now  sanctioned  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  as  a 
-custom  heathenish,  impious,  and  detestable.  Justin 
Martyr  says  it  was  invented  by  demons  in  imitation 
of  baptism,^  and  the  apostate  Julian  used  to  sprinkle 


^  "  Spi-inkling  with  liglit  dew." 

*  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  I.  p.  91.     Edit.  III. 


132  THE  CATHOLIC. 

the  provisions  in  the  markets  with  holy  water  to  com- 
pel the  Christians  either  to  starve  or  to  eat  what 
according  to  their  religion  was  polluted.^ 

The  scholar,  on  entering  the  Church  of  Rome,  is 
further  struck  by  the  number  of  wax  candles  and 
lamps  which  are  kept  constantly  burning  before  the 
shrines  and  images  of  saints.  These  recall  to  his 
memory  many  passages  in  the  heathen  writers  where 
lamps  and  candles  are  described  as  burning  before 
the  altars  and  statues  of  their  deities,  and  he  is  thus 
furnished  with  another  proof  of  the  conformity  of 
popery  to  paganism. 

Thus  Cicero,  in  his  oration  against  Verres,  speaks 
of— 

"  Cupidlnem  argenteum  cum  lampade."  * 

And  VirgU  writes :  — 
"  Centum  aras  posuit,  vigilcmque  sacraverat  igncm." ' 

The  primitive  writers,  in  commenting  on  pagan- 
ism, expose  the  absm-dity  of  this  custom.  Lactantius, 
an  early  Christian  author,  says :  "  They  light  up  can- 
dles to  God,  as  if  he  lived  in  the  dark,  and  do  not 
they  deserve  to  pass  for  madmen  who  offer  lamps  to 
the  author  and  giver  of  light  ?  "  In  the  ancient  inscrip- 
tions many  instances  are  found  of  donations  of  lamps 
and  candlesticks  to  the  temples  of  the  gods,  and 
many  of  the  altars  of  modern  Rome  are  now  deco- 
rated with  gold  and  silver  lamps  and  candlesticks, 

'  C.  Mid.  Letter,  p.  189. 

^  "  A  silver  Cupid  with  a  lamp." —  Oration  against  Verres. 
^  He  created  an  hundred  altars,  and  consecrated  the  watchful 
flame.  —  ^neid  IV.  200. 


THE  CATUOLIC.  133 

the  gifts  of  princes ;  and  when  they  are  illuminated  at 
great  festivals  by  a  profusion  of  waxen  candles, 
they  resemble  the  pagan  altar  or  the  rich  side- 
board of  a  prince,  more  than  the  altar  of  the  living 
God. 

We  learn  from  ancient  authors  and  inscriptions, 
that  votive  offerings  of  pictures,  images,  and  tablets 
were  suspended  in  pagan  temples.  The  temples  of  Es- 
culapius  were  rich  in  these  offerings,  which  Livy  in- 
forms us  were  the  price  of  the  cures  he  had  effected. 
Even  consuls  at  the  head  of  armies  offered  gifts  to 
Apollo  and  Esculapius,  and  miraculous  cures  were 
ascribed  in  the  inscriptions  to  those  benevolent 
deities.  The  Chm'ch  of  Rome  has  copied  this  usage 
of  paganism,  gifts  of  great  value  are  hung  at  the 
shrines  of  saints  and  the  Virgin,  and  the  church 
of  Loretto  has  become  a  proverb  for  its  riches  thus 
acquired,  as  the  temple  of  Apollo  at  Delphi  was  once 
a  proverb  with  the  ancients  for  the  same  reason. 

Homer  adverts  to  it,  when  he  says :  — 

"  Not  all  the  wealth  Apollo's  temple  holds, 
Can  purchase  one  day's  life." 

E,obes  sparkling  with  jewels  are  now  presented  in 
Romish  churches  to  the  Virgin,  which  are  but  coun- 
terparts of  the  robe  — 

"  Sparkling  with  rich  embroidery  like  a  star," 

which,  we  learn  from  Homer,  was  presented  by  Hec- 
uba to  Pallas. 

In  other  respects  there  is  a  close  resemblance  be- 
tween paganism  and  popery.  In  the  solemnities  of 
ancient  Rome  the  chief  magistrate  took  part,  dressed 

12. 


134  THE   CATHOLIC. 

in  robes  of  ceremony.  He  was  attended  by  priests  in 
surplices,  bearing  wax  candles  and  images,  arrayed 
in  their  most  costly  robes,  and  these  were  followed 
by  the  youth  of  the  place,  singing  hymns  and  bear- 
ing flambeaux.  Apuleius  gives  us  this  description, 
which  might  pass  as  well  for  a  description  of  a  mod- 
ern procession  at  a  festival  in  Rome. 

It  was  the  practice,  too,  of  the  ancient  Romans  to 
erect  altars  to  their  gods  on  rocks  and  eminences,  and 
in  deep  groves  and  forests,  and  to  hang  crowns,  gar- 
lands, and  offerings  on  stately  oaks,  and  now  we 
see  through  Italy  chapels,  altars,  and  oratories  in  the 
same  places,  filled  with  images ;  we  find  there,  too, 
votive  offerings  suspended  on  oaks  or  crosses. 

It  was  the  tradition  in  ancient  Rome  that  on  the 
eve  of  great  calamities,  the  statue  of  Apollo  wept  for 
three  days  and  nights  successively ;  that  all  the  im- 
ages in  the  temple  of  Juno  sweat  drops  of  blood,  and 
the  statue  of  Fortune  often  spoke  aloud,  and  now  we 
hear  of  Madonnas  and  images  of  our  Saviour  weep- 
ing and  speaking,  and  of  the  annual  melting  of  the 
blood  of  St.  Januarius,  a  miracle  which  Addison  long 
since,  in  his  sketches  of  Italy,  described  as  a  clumsy 
imposture. 

The  modern  priests  of  Rome  have  closely  copied 
their  predecessors,  in  their  processions  and  their  mir- 
acles ;  and,  when  rearing  their  altars  and  chapels  in 
groves,  erecting  their  crosses,  and  hanging  their  gar- 
lands and  images  upon  oaks,  and  worshipping  on 
high  mountains,  what  respect  do  they  pay  to  the 
command  given  by  God  to  the  Israelites  ?  "  Ye  shall 
utterly  destroy  the  places  wherein  the  nation  served 
their  gods,  upon  the  high  mountains,  and  upon  the 


THE   CATHOLIC.  135 

hills,  and  under  every  green  tree  ;  and  ye  shall  over- 
tlirow  their  altars,  break  their  pillars,  burn  their 
groves,  and  hew  down  the  graven  images  of  their 
gods."  1 

In  imperial  Rome  it  was  the  custom  to  deify. the 
emperor  and  to  worship  his  statue ;  but  Caligula  was 
the  first  ruler  of  pagan  Rome  who  offered  his  foot  to 
be  kissed.  This  was  considered  a  gross  indignity,  and 
Seneca  declaims  upon  it  as  the  last  affront  to  expir- 
ing liberty.  But  this  servile  act,  which  Rome  could 
scarcely  brook  under  imperial  sway,  is  now  the  stand- 
ing ceremonial  of  the  Holy  See,  and  has  been,  if  it 
is  not  to-day,  the  condition  of  access  to  the  reigning 
pope,  although  it  has  no  better  origin  than  the  inso- 
lence of  a  pagan  emperor. 

I  might  compare  the  relics  of  the  ancient  city  with 
those  of  modern  Rome,  the  staff  of  Romulus  with 
the  rod  of  Moses,  the  cottage  of  Romulus  with  the 
house  of  Loretto.  I  might  draw  a  parallel  between 
the  mendicant  priests  of  Cicero,^  who  exhausted  the 
means  of  families  or  increased  superstition,  and  the 
mendicant  friars  of  modern  Italy.  I  might  compare 
the  sanctity  of  temples  with  the  shelter  of  churches, 
the  austerities  of  the  vestals  and  pagan  priests  with 
the  seclusion  of  nunneries  and  monasteries ;  but  I 
trust  I  have  already  shown  the  conformity  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  ancient  paganism. 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 

1  Deut.  12  :  2,  3. 

2  Described  by  Cicero. 


LETTER    XVII. 

Ltnn  Beach,  November  3, 1855. 

Dear  S.  . . . :  —  I  cannot  well  finish  these  letters 
without  a  brief  glance  at  the  Jesuits,  that  ancient 
and  powerful  society,  long  the  directors  of  monarchs 
and  now  the  chief  agents  of  Itome  in  Europe  and 
America.  If  a  papal  college  is  to  be  established  in 
England,  a  protestant  clergyman  to  be  converted  at 
Rome  ;  if  in  the  United  States  children  are  to  be  with- 
drawn from  the  public  schools,  and  educated  by 
a  sect;  if  churches  are  to  be  wrested  from  the  men 
that  built  them,  or  church  property  to  be  accumu- 
lated in  the  hands  of  bishops  obedient  to  a  foreign 
sovereign,  a  Jesuit  steps  forward  to  execute  the  edict. 

The  Christian  world  in  the  midst  of  the  nineteenth 
century  has  been  startled  by  a  solemn  conclave  of  bish- 
ops assembled  from  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  Amer- 
ica, to  settle  the  question  of  the  immaculate  concep- 
tion ;  and  now  by  the  decree  of  this  conclave,  every 
true  Catholic  is  required  to  believe  as  an  article  of 
his  faith,  and  under  pain  of  everlasting  perdition,  that 
the  Virgin  Mary  was  born  fi'ce  from  original  sin, 
whatever  intimations  to  the  contrary  he  may  have 
drawn  from  Holy  Writ.  Strange  as  it  may  appear  to 
the  distant  observer  that  Rome  should  pass  a  decree 
in  the  nineteenth  century  w^hich  she  did  not  hazard 
in  the  plenitude  of  her  power,  our  surprise  is  dimin- 

(13'J) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  137 

ished  when  we  learn  from  Seymour,  in  his  Mornings 
at  Rome  with  the  Jesuits,  just  issued  from  the  press, 
that  in  their  efforts  to  convert  him  they  admitted 
that  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary  was  fast  increas- 
ing, and  "  that  the  religion  of  Italy  was  latterly  be- 
coming less  and  less  the  religion  of  Christ,"  ^  and  that 
it  was  a  favorite  doctrine  of  the  Jesuits,  and  taught 
by  de  Liguori,  since  canonized  by  Rome,  that  a  de- 
votion to  Mary  was  more  beneficial  than  a  devotion 
to  Christ.  We  need  but  refer  to  his  miraculous 
ladders  wrought  into  an  altar-piece  at  Milan,  in 
which  the  Virgin  appears  at  the  head  of  one  helping 
her  votaries  into  heaven,  and  our  Saviour  stands  at 
the  top  of  the  other,  while  those  who  ascend  his 
ladder  are  falling  back  to  the  earth.  When  canons  and 
professors  of  the  colleges  of  Rome  admit  that  worship- 
pers are  deserting  the  altars  o±  our  Saviour  for  the 
shrine  of  the  Virgin,  and  that  they  consider  the 
Virgin  more  compassionate  than  our  Saviour,  (the 
only  intercessor  between  God  and  man)  ;  when  we 
see  that  under  this  influence  a  transformation  is 
taking  place  in  the  faith  and  religion  of  Rome,  we 
cannot  pass  by  this  remarkable  society,  this  anomaly 
in  the  history  of  religion.^  Far  be  it  from  me  to 
deny  the  merits  of  many  of  its  early  members  or 
their  zeal  as  missionaries,  their  efforts  for  education, 
or  their  ability  as  editors  of  the  classics,  but  in  trac- 
ing their  history  we  find  their  converts  were  but 
partially  reclaimed,  and  have  in  many  cases  relapsed 
into  heathenism ;  that  their  best  scholars  were  made 

^  Seymour,  p.  4G. 

*  See  Seymour's  Mornings  among  the  Jesuits  at  Rome,  p.  46 
to  50. 

12* 


138  THE  CATHOLIC. 

Jesuits ;  and  their  authors,  however  careful  as  editors, 
rarely  enriched  the  world  with  original  ideas.  Com- 
mencing in  humility  and  self-denial,  they  have 
studied  the  aggrandizement  of  their  order,  and  at 
some  periods  have  monopolized  the  offices  of  church 
and  state.  Apparently  devoted  to  religion,  they  have 
embarked  in  commerce,  and  astonished  the  commer- 
cial world  by  the  extent  of  their  operations.  Aiming 
to  direct  the  consciences  of  mankind,  they  have  es- 
tablished a  code  of  morals  in  conffict  with  the  Scrip- 
tures. Identified  with  the  Inquisition  and  intolerant 
of  heresy,  they  have  established  the  most  flagrant  of 
heresies  in  Rome  itself.  After  reaching  the  highest 
pitch  of  power  and  greatness  in  Portugal,  Spain, 
France,  and  Austria  have  been  successively  expelled 
from  each.  After  vowing  obedience  to  the  pope, 
they  are  by  the  verdict  of  history  chargeable  with 
the  death  of  a  sovereign  pontiff.  Finally,  after 
maintaining  the  infallibility  of  the  Holy  See,  they 
have  been  established  by  one  pope,  censured  by  a 
second,  suppressed  by  a  third,  and  finally  restored  by 
a  fourth  infallible  pontiff. 

I  propose  to  draw  from  authentic  sources,  princi- 
pally Roman  Catholic,  a  brief  sketch  of  the  origin, 
code,  progress,  downfall,  and  revival  of  this  remarka- 
ble order,  whose  power,  talent,  influence,  and  wealth 
once  overshadowed  the  religious  world. 

In  1521,  Ignatius  Loyala,  a  young  and  spirited 
officer  of  Spain,  was  wounded  at  the  siege  of  Pam- 
peluna.  Being  compelled  by  his  wounds  to  abandon 
the  field  of  chivalry  and  the  pursuit  of  pleasure,  he 
became  a  champion  of  the  Virgin,  and  after  some 
years  of  devotion  and  study,  having  assembled   a 


THE   CATHOLIC.  139 

number  of  men  of  talent  he  founded  the  Society  of 
Jesus.  In  1540  he  obtained  from  Paul  Farnese  a 
brief,  establishing  the  society  under  which  he  became 
the  first  general  of  the  order. 

The  early  constitutions  of  this  society  have  been 
preserved  and  published ;  they  may  be  found  in  the 
Astor  library  of  New  York,  and  are  often  referred  to 
in  the  letters  of  Pascal.  The  candidates  for  admis- 
sion must  possess  either  talents,  acquirements,  rank, 
or  wealth  ;  must  be  comely  in  person,  free  from  all 
personal  defects,  and  able  to  control  their  feelings. 
Before  reaching  the  rank  of  priests,  they  pass 
through  three  degrees  and  undergo  a  long  pro- 
bation, and  if  at  any  time  dismissed  for  incompe- 
tence or  gross  misconduct,  the  rules  of  the  society 
require  they  should  be  dismissed  with  pleasant 
words,  injunctions  of  secrecy,  and  a  supply  of 
money.  A  general,  elected  for  life,  is  at  the  head  of 
the  society ;  he  governs  with  regal  power,  and  all  the 
members  of  the  society  are  bound  to  yield  implicit 
obedience  to  his  orders.  He  has  power  to  dispense 
with  vows,  to  absolve  from  obedience  to  the  pope,  to 
license  either  venial  or  mortal  sin,  and  when  he 
directs  an  act  sinful  in  itself,  it  must  be  performed  by 
his  inferiors  in  the  most  effective  manner.  He  ap- 
points all  the  officers  and  controls  the  property  of 
the  society,  and  every  member  must  submit  his  per- 
son, fortune,  will,  and  conscience  to  his  dictation.    * 

After  devotion  to  the  Virgin  the  first  duty  of  the 
Jesuit  is  confession.  He  must  confess  monthly  ;  no 
diversity  of  opinion  is  permissible,  no  book  can  be 
published  without  the  consent  of  the  general,  and 
no  departure  in  matters  of  faith  or  doctrine  are  per- 


140  THE   CATHOLIC. 

mitted  in  thought,  word,  or  deed.  Each  Jesuit  is 
made  a  spy  upon  his  associates,  and  each  one  who 
fails  to  confess  or  to  report  any  offence  to  his  supe- 
rior, becomes  amenable  to  punishment. 

The  conduct  and  talents  of  all  distinguished 
Jesuits  are  reported  to  the  general ;  each  is  devoted 
to  the  service  for  w^hich  he  is  found  best  adapted ; 
each  directed  to  receive  for  the  society  the  emolu- 
ments of  office,  and  while  he  lives  a  life  of  apparent 
humility  to  do  all  in  his  power  for  the  advancement  of 
the  order.  The  whole  power  of  the  society,  whether 
for  good  or  ill,  is  ■wielded  by  the  general,  and  no  one 
beside  him  is  permitted  to  utter  an  original  idea. 

In  1656,  Pascal,  that  prodigy  of  parts,  as  he  is 
styled  by  Locke  and  Stewart,  published  his  Provin- 
cial Letters,  and  gives  us  in  them  the  Jesuits'  code  of 
morals,  collected  from  works  published  with  the 
sanction  of  their  society.  These  letters,  written  by 
a  Roman  Catholic,  although  assailed,  have  never 
been  refuted,  and  for  two  centuries  have  maintained 
their  celebrity.  They  give  us  a  vivid  picture  of  the 
morals  of  the  society.  He  tells  us  "  the  Jesuits  had 
adopted  a  pliant  system  of  morality,  which  they 
bent  with  facility  to  every  taste,  every  circumstance, 
and  every  passion.  A  Jesuit  may  kiU  a  person  who 
insults  him,  or  is  about  to  injure  his  character." 
Virtually  he  may  punish  insult,  and  even  truth  itself, 
with  death,  if  injurious  to  his  honor.  ^ 

These  maxims,  so  revolting  to  the  Christian  and 
philosopher  of  the  nineteenth  century,  are  laid  down 
with  some  degree  of  caution  by  Jesuit  writers,  but 

^  Sec  Constitutions,  pars.  1,  c.  IT.  §  13 ;  pars.  6,  c.  V.  §  1  ;  pars. 
3,c.  I.  §  18. 


THE  CATHOLIC.  141 

still  wc  find  them  in  their  books.  Thus  in  one 
passage  we  are  told,  "  that  whatever  celebrated  au- 
thors approve  is  safe  in  practice." 

In  another,  that  many  celebrated  authors  are  of 
opinion  that  one  man  may  Idll  another  for  a  box  on 
the  ear. 

In  a  third,  that  whatever  is  allowed  in  speculation, 
is  allowed  in  practice. 

In  a  fourth,  that  it  is  allowable  in  speculation  to 
kill  for  slander. 

And  Caramuel,  a  Jesuit  author,  states,  that  more 
"  than  twenty  doctors  maintain  that  a  false  accusa- 
tion is  permissible  to  maintain  one's  honor." 

How  closely  do  these  maxims  agree  with  the  pre- 
cepts of  our  Saviour,  and  how  much  need  we  won- 
der that  the  sanguinary  code  of  the  duellist  found 
favor  in  France  under  the  rule  of  the  Jesuits,  when 
such  precepts  guided  the  consciences  of  its  confes- 
sors! 

When  pressed  on  these  points  the  Jesuits  have 
sought  to  avoid  them,  by  the  suggestion  that  the 
order  was  not  responsible  for  the  books  or  errors  of 
its  individual  members ;  but  their  very  rules  render 
this  ground  untenable,  for  they  permit  no  works  to 
be  published  without  the  approbation  of  their 
general. 

I  might  refer  to  the  secret  rules  or  secreta  monita 
of  the  Jesuits,  published  in  Westphalia,  more  than 
a  century  since,  by  a  discarded  member,  which  con- 
firm the  authors  cited  by  Pascal. 

I  might  also  refer  to  the  right  claimed  to  depose 
Protestant  monarchs  firom  their  thrones  at  the  bid- 


'142  THE  CATHOLIC. 

ding  of  the  pope.  But  we  have  without  them  am- 
ple proof,  that  the  precepts  of  Christianity  were, 
with  the  Jesuit,  subservient  to  pride  and  ambi- 
tion. The  first  aim  of  the  society  was  to  con- 
trol the  education  of  the  world,  and  they  selected 
for  their  teachers,  those  members  who  would  adopt 
a  life  of  frugality  and  retirement.  Renouncing  the 
pleasures  of  the  world,  establishing  an  apparent  con- 
cord of  science  and  virtue,  they  were,  to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  Alembert,  once  considered  "  an  assem- 
blage of  heroes  for  religion  and  humanity."  At  first 
they  taught  alike  the  children  of  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  and  took  pains  to  develop  the  talents  of  all 
who  showed  superior  intellect,  and  to  draw  them  into 
the  order.  Promising  a  monthly  mass  and  perpetual 
honors  to  all  who  should  found  a  college  or  a  school, 
at  a  period  coeval  with  the  revival  of  letters,  their 
society  rapidly  increased,  and  soon  became  the  prin- 
cipal teachers  of  Europe. 

Their  defender,  Leibnitz,  concedes,  "  there  were 
among  them  men  of  ardent  minds,  who,  cost  what 
it  would,  sometimes  attempted  measures  not  alto- 
gether justifiable,  for  the  aggrandizement  of  the 
order."  This  class  they  sent  into  the  world  to  take 
part  in  secular  affairs,  to  seek  preferment  and  power, 
and  to  practise  the  precepts  of  their  order.  Ming- 
ling with  the  world  the  Jesuit  assumed  the  "  sem- 
blance of  a  sainted  man  absorbed  in  heavenly  things, 
while  in  reality  revolving  in  his  capacious  mind  pro- 
jects of  unbounded  ambition."  He  courted  the 
favor  of  courtiers  and  ministers  of  State,  and  became 
the  confessor  and  director  of  kings.     At  the  close  of 


THE  CATHOLIC.  143 

their  first  century,  the  society  had  obtained  a  footing 
in  nearly  every  kingdom  of  civilized  Europe,  except 
protestant  England. 

At  this  epoch  their  power  culminated ;  they  con- 
trolled the  education  and  directed  the  consciences  of 
a  large  part  of  Christendom  ;  they  commanded  secrets 
and  anticipated  the  action  of  courts.  They  aided  in 
establishing  the  inquisition  and  destroying  heresy 
with  fire  and  sword.  They  met  and  checked  the 
reformation,  and  reconquered  the  south  of  Europe. 
Their  general,  Oliva,  resigning  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  his  society  to  inferiors,  became  the  ally, 
friend,  and  valued  correspondent  of  most  of  the 
crowned  heads  of  Europe.  He  was  the  depository 
of  their  secrets  and  cherished  plans,  and  evinced  in 
his  published  correspondence  the  skill  of  a  consum- 
mate politician.  The  society  under  him  attained  to 
the  plenitude  of  its  power.  Forgetting  the  pre- 
cepts of  frugality,  humility,  and  individual  poverty, 
and  the  devotion  to  education  on  which  it  was 
founded,  it  lived  rather  on  its  past  fame,  than  on  its 
adaptation  to  the  wants  of  humanity.  Oliva  con- 
tinued at  its  head  from  1663  to  1680.  Retiring 
from  Rome,  says  Gioberti  the  Italian  historian,  to 
a  country-seat  where  he  conducted  his  correspond- 
ence, "  he  occupied  a  delicious  villa  near  Albano, 
and  enjoyed  the  pleasures  of  a  table  that  would 
have  tempted  the  appetite  of  Vitellius."  An  example 
so  fascinating  was  not  without  its  influence,  and  the 
members  of  the  society  lost  in  inglorious  ease  and 
indulgence,  a  part  of  the  ardor  and  energy  which 
had  aided  them  in  the  attainment  of  wealth,  power, 


144  THE  CATHOLIC. 

and  grandeur,  and  prevented  the  ruin  of  the  Church 
of  Rome.  Thus  passed  the  golden,  or  rather  the 
iron  age  of  the  society,  but  it  contained  within  itself 
the  principle  of  its  own  dissolution. 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    XVIII. 

Lynn  Beach,  Nov.  5,  1855. 

My  dear  S.  . . . :  —  I  gave  you  in  my  last  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  the  Jesuits.  Be- 
fore I  describe  their  fall,  let  me  cite  from  the  historian 
Macaulay  his  graphic  picture  of  the  order :  "  The 
activity  and  zeal  of  Loyola  bore  down  all  opposition, 
and  under  his  rule  the  order  of  Jesuits  began  to  ex- 
ist, and  grew  rapidly  to  the  full  measure  of  its  gi- 
gantic powers.  With  what  vehemence,  with  what 
policy,  with  what  exact  discipline,  with  what  dauntless 
courage,  with  what  self-denial,  with  what  forgetful- 
ness  of  the  dearest  private  ties,  with  what  intense 
and  stubborn  devotion  to  a  single  end,  with  what  un- 
scrupulous laxity  and  versatility  in  the  choice  of 
means,  the  Jesuits  fought  the  battle  of  their  chm*ch, 
is  written  in  every  page  of  the  annals  of  Europe 
during  several  generations.  The  order  possessed 
itself  at  once  of  all  the  strong-holds  which  command 
the  public  mind ;  of  the  pulpit,  of  the  press,  of  the 
confessional,  of  the  academies.  Wherever  the  Jes- 
uits preached,  the  chiu-ch  was  too  small  for  the  audi- 
ence. The  name  of  a  Jesuit  on  a  title-page  secured 
the  circulation  of  a  book. 

"  It  was  in  the  ears  of  a  Jesuit  that  the  powerful,  and 
the  noble,  and  the  beautiful,  breathed  the  secret  his- 

13  (145) 


146  THE  CATHOLIC. 

tory  of  their  lives.  It  was  at  the  feet  of  the  Jesuit 
.that  the  youth  of  the  higher  and  middle  classes  were 
brought  up,  from  the  first  rudiments  to  the  courses  of 
rhetoric  and  philosophy.  Literature  and  science, 
lately  associated  with  infidelity  or  with  heresy,  now 
became  the  allies  of  orthodoxy. 

"  Nor  was  it  less  their  office  to  plot  against  the 
thrones  and  lives  of  apostate  kings,  to  spread  evil 
rumors,  to  raise  tumults,  to  influence  cruel  wars,  to 
arm  the  hand  of  the  assassin.  Inflexible  in  nothing 
but  in  their  fidelity  to  the  church,  they  were  equally 
ready  to  appeal  in  her  cause  to  the  spirit  of  loyalty 
and  to  the  spirit  of  freedom.  Extreme  doctrines  of 
obedience  and  extreme  doctrines  of  liberty,  —  the 
right  of  rulers  to  misgovern  the  people,  the  right  of 
every  one  of  the  people  to  plunge  his  knife  in  the 
heart  of  a  bad  ruler,  were  circulated  by  the  same 
man,  according  as  he  addressed  himself  to  the  subject 
of  Philip  or  the  subject  of  Elizabeth.  Some  described 
these  men  as  the  most  rigid,  and  some  as  the  most 
indulgent  of  spiritual  directors.  And  both  descrip- 
tions were  correct.  The  truly  devout  listened  with 
awe  to  the  high  and  saintly  morality  of  the  Jesuit. 
The  gay  cavalier,  who  had  run  his  rival  through  the 
body,  the  frail  beauty,  who  had  forgotten  her  mar- 
riage vow,  found  in  the  Jesuit  an  easj^  and  well-bred 
man  of  the  world,  tolerant  of  the  little  irregularities 
of  people  of  fashion.  The  confessor  was  strict  or  lax, 
according  to  the  temper  of  the  penitent.  His  first 
oliject  was  to  drive  no  person  out  of  the  pale  of 
the  church,  since  there  were  bad  people,  it  was  bet- 
ter Ihey  should  be  bad  Catholics  than  bad  Protes- 


THE    CATHOLIC.  147 

tants.  If  a  person  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  a 
bravo,  or  libertine,  or  a  gambler,  that  was  no  reason 
for  making  him  a  heretic  also." 

There  is  a  vein  of  irony  in  this  description ;  but  by 
such  zeal,  devotion,  and  energy,  by  such  loose  and 
pliant  morality,  did  the  Jesuits  attain  to  power.  Per- 
vading the  world,  winning  the  confidence  of  favorites, 
statesmen,  and  princes,  they  acquired  through  the 
confessional  the  secrets  of  Europe.  The  general  of 
their  order,  in  his  delicious  villa  at  Albano,  w^as  the 
centre  of  a  system,  whose  telegraphic  wires  radiated 
to  every  court  in  Europe,  and  were  alive  to  every  po- 
litical movement.  From  this  centre  he  directed  his 
agents  and  controlled  the  fortunes  of  Christendoin. 

The  history  of  the  Jesuits,  however,  was  not  free 
from  vicissitudes ;  and  now  that  I  have  portrayed 
their  rise,  progress,  and  morals,  let  me  picture  to  you 
their  reverses,  and  the  successive  steps  of  their  de- 
cline. They  did  not  obtain  an  ascendency  in  France 
without  a  serious  struggle.  When  the  crown  of 
France  devolved  on  Henry  IV.,  a  Protestant  prince, 
they  denied  his  title,  and  published  tracts  to  show 
that  he  was  out  of  the  pale  of  the  church,  and  ex- 
cluded by  heresy  from  the  throne.  They  were  ac- 
tive in  forming  the  League  of  Catholic  Princes,  and 
when  the  valor  and  prudence  of  Henry  won  the 
crown,  his  life  was  attempted  by  Chatel,  who  ad- 
mitted at  his  trial,  that  he  had  learned  in  a  Jesuit 
college  that  it  was  lawful  to  kill  the  king,  and  that 
no  one  should  obey  him.  After  this  offence,  the  par- 
liament of  France,  in  1594,  expelled  the  Jesuits,  lev- 
elled the  house  of  Chatel  to  the  ground,  and  erected 
a  pyramid  upon  the  spot,  with  the  inscription  that  it 


148  THE   CATHOLIC. 

was  designed  "  to  perpetuate  the  infamy  of  the  as- 
sassin Chartel  and  his  teachers,  the  Jesuits,  whose 
baneful  heresy  was  the  cause  of  this  offence." 

In  1603,  Henry  IV.,  having  secured  his  crown  and 
embraced  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  recalled  the  Jes- 
uits. The  society  refer  to  this  result,  and  to  his  lan- 
guage on  several  public  occasions,  to  show  their  in- 
nocence ;  but  Sully,  the  great  minister  of  Henry,  has 
transinitted  to  us  in  his  memoirs  the  true  sentiments 
of  his  royal  master,  who  told  him  "  he  was  compelled 
either  to  recall  the  Jesuits  and  free  them  from  the  in- 
famy under  which  they  labored,  and  to  trust  to  their 
promises,  or  to  banish  them  more  absolutely  from  his 
kingdom,  in  which  case  he  should  enjoy  no  peace, 
but  live  in  perpetual  fear  of  an  attempt  upon  his  life." 
The  easy  and  kind-hearted  monarch,  who  sacrificed 
his  religion  to  his  crown,  and  aimed  at  a  life  of  ease 
and  pleasure,  appreciated  their  conduct  and  their 
power,  and  confided  his  safety  to  their  gratitude. 

For  three  centuries  they  could  gain  no  foothold 
in  England,  although  they  made  repeated  efforts  un- 
der Mary,  Charles,  and  James  II.  Queen  Elizabeth, 
in  her  proclamation  of  November  15, 1602,  declares, 
"  the  Jesuits  had  excited  her  subjects  to  revolt,  invited 
foreign  princes  to  compass  her  death,  engaged  in  af- 
fairs of  State,  and  undertaken  to  dispose  of  her  crown, 
and  decrees  their  expulsion  from  the  kingdom." 

In  1606  Venice  expelled  them  also  for  plots  against 
the  State,  and  after  an  interval  of  many  years,  reluc- 
tantly restored  them. 

Their  power,  however,  in  the  Roman  CathoKc 
States  received  no  serious  check  until  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  the  affairs  of  Europe 


THE   CATHOLIC.  149 

were  guided  by  the  celebrated  ministers  of  State 
Carvalho,  in  Portugal,  the  Duke  de  Choiseul,  in 
France,  and  the  Count  de  Aranda,  in  Spain,  while 
Austria  was  ruled  by  that  spirited  queen,  Maria 
Theresa.  Their  suppression,  also,  was  not  decreed 
until  Clement  the  XlVth,  the  celebrated  author 
Ganganelli,  had  become  pope  of  Rome. 

The  downfall  of  the  Jesuits  was  preceded  by  a 
great  departure  from  their  ancient  poverty  and  hu- 
mility. They  had  acquired  power,  and  were  intol- 
erant in  its  exercise.  They  had  usurped  the  control 
of  States,  and  governed  with  harshness.  They  had 
embarked  in  trade,  and  aimed  to  monopolize  the 
commerce  of  the  Indies.  They  had  ceased  to  ed- 
ucate the  poor  and  to  elicit  talent  for  their  order, 
and  confined  their  education  mostly  to  the  classes 
who  could  compensate  them  with  presents. 

The  overthrow  of  Port  Royal,^  the  massacre  of 
the  Huguenots,  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes, 
with  all  which  they  were  identified,  the  exclusion 
from  office  in  France  of  every  person  not  entirely 
devoted  to  their  order,  alienated  the  people ;  and  their 
persecution  of  the  Jansenists,  who  adopted  the  purer 
precepts  and  faith  of  St.  Augustine,  gave  general 
offence.  They  provoked  also  the  hostility  of  men 
of  letters,  whose  influence  was  beginning  to  pre- 
dominate.2 

The  order  at  this  period  had  acquired  vast  wealth, 
for  at  the  time  of  its   suppression  it  possessed  39 

*  For  an  account  of  Port  Royal  and  the  Jansenists,  see  appen- 
dix, p.  261. 

*  Nouvelles  Considerations  Versailles,  1817,  Nicolini's  History, 
p.  328. 

13* 


150  THE   CATHOLIC. 

houses,  61  novitiates,  196  seminaries,  335  residences, 
223  missions,  22,782  members ;  a  property  estimated 
at  two  hundred  millions  of  dollars  ;  and  numbered  in 
its  ranks  24  cardinals,  19  princes,  121  titular  bishops, 
6  electors  of  the  empire,  21  archbishops,  and  9 
saints. 

But  in  the  midst  of  this  vast  wealth,  power,  and 
influence,  the  day  of  its  ruin  had  arrived.  The 
match  was  upon  the  mine  which  had  sapped  its 
foundations. 

In  1757,  an  attempt  was  made  to  assassinate  the 
king  of  Portugal,  and,  after  a  judicial  inquiry,  several 
parties  were  sentenced  to  death.  In  the  course  of 
the  proceedings,  the  Jesuits  were  implicated,  and 
Carvalho,  Marquis  of  Pombal,  issued  an  edict  for 
their  banishment,  and  declared  them  traitors  and 
rebels. 

This  was  but  a  prelude  to  their  expulsion  from 
France ;  but  the  more  immediate  cause  was  a  very 
singular  lawsuit.  LavaUette,  a  Jesuit,  and  General 
of  Martinique,  purchased  large  estates  and  two 
thousand  slaves  in  that  island ;  he  also  entered  into 
extensive  speculations,  and  became  insolvent.  His 
creditors  commenced  a  suit  against  the  order  of  Jes- 
uits, and  the  parliament  deciding  against  the  order, 
it  was  made  liable,  by  a  decree,  for  more  than  two 
millions  of  francs.  But  this  judgment  was  not 
its  only  misfortune.  The  court  required  it  to 
produce  the  constitutions  of  the  order.  A  copy  of 
this  document,  which  had  long  been  concealed  with 
scrnpulous  care,  was  produced  under  a  requisition 
from  parliament.  These  constitutions  became  the 
subject  of  public  discussion,  and  at  length  were  sub- 


THE   CATHOLIC.  151 

mitted  to  a  council  of  fifty-one  French  bisliops. 
They  decided  that  the  article,  requiring  unlimited 
obedience  to  the  general,  conflicted  with  the  laws  of 
France,  and  the  duty  of  the  subject  to  the  sov- 
ereign.^ 

At  length,  in  1764,  the  parliament  of  France 
passed  a  decree,  banishing  them  from  the  realm,  as 
parties  opposed  to  all  authority,  spiritual  and  eccle- 
siastical ;  and  the  followers  of  Jansenius,  in  no  grate- 
ful spirit,  wrote  their  epitaph  as  follows  :  — 

A  Society 

Which  counselled  and  committed 

Crimes  of  every  Nature, 

The  Scourge  and  Disgrace  of  Mankind, 

llulers  of  Monarchs, 

Perverters  of  Scripture, 

Aspirants    after    the    Empire 

Ofthe  whole  World. 

In  1767,  they  were  implicated  in  a  revolt  in  Spain. 
King  Charles  III.  had  adopted  a  Capuchin  confessor, 
and  refused  to  intrust  the  reins  of  government  to  the 
Jesuits.  The  Marquis  de  Ossun,  ambassador  from 
France,  in  his  despatches  to  the  Duke  de  Choiseul,  nar- 
rates a  conversation  with  the  king  of  Spain  upon  the 
subject.  The  king  assured  him  the  Jesuits  had  poi- 
soned the  minds  of  his  subjects,  and  during  the  re- 
volt of  1767  were  detected  in  the  act  of  distributing 
gold  among  the  populace.  This  sealed  their  fate 
in  Spain.  The  Marquis  de  Aranda  sent  letters  to 
all  the  provinces,  to  be  opened  on  a  certain  day, 
expelling  them  from  the  kingdom  and  confiscating 
their  property. 

*  Nicolini's  History  of  the  Jesuits,  p.  344  to  346. 


152  THE   CATHOLIC. 

Austria  soon  followed  the  example  of  Portugal, 
France,  and  Spain,  and  united  with  the  other  great 
powers  of  Europe  in  demanding  with  one  voice  from 
the  Holy  See  the  suppression  of  the  order. 

Italy  was  now  their  refuge,  and  here  they  main- 
tained a  desperate  struggle.  One  pontiff  died,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Cardinal  GanganeUi,  known  to 
history  as  Clement  XIV.  For  j&ve  years  he  tempo- 
rized, listened  to  complaints,  investigated  charges, 
and  at  length,  July  23,  1773,  issued  his  memorable 
brief  for  the  entire  suppression  of  the  order. 

This  paper,  issued  by  the  head  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church,  and  composed  by  one  of  the  ablest 
pontiffs  of  the  church,  after  five  years'  reflection,  re- 
cites the  various  charges  which  had  been  made  to 
the  Holy  See  against  the  order.     Among  them  — 

Their  insatiable  avidity  for  temporal  possessions. 

Their  dangerous  doctrines. 

Their  use  and  explanations  of  maxims  which  the 
.  Holy  See  had  proscribed  as  scandalous,  and  mani- 
festly contrary  to  good  morals ;  maxims  which  had 
produced  intestine  troubles  in  the  Catholic  States. 

Their  interference  with  secular  offices. 

And  arrives  at  the  conclusion  that  the  church  can- 
not maintain  a  firm  and  permanent  peace  without  the 
dissolution  of  the  society. 

The  brief  then  proceeds  to  decree  the  dissolution 
of  the  order,  the  confiscation  of  its  estates,  reserving 
a  moderate  stipend  for  the  members,^  and  to  forbid  all 
to  teach,  except  those  who  were  determined  to  main- 
tain the  tranquillity  of  the  world.    But  the  society,  in 

^  Nicolini,  p.  38G ;  St.  Triest 


THE   CATHOLIC.  153 

its  death-struggle,  although  allied  to  the  Church  of 
Rome,  was  not  disposed  to  acquiesce  in  the  decree, 
or  to  practise  that  obedience  to  the  pope  which  the 
church  exacts.  While  the  question  was  pending,  the 
movable  property  of  the  society  disappeared,  its 
current  expenses  were  unpaid,  and  debts  were  al- 
lowed to  accumulate,  sufficient  to  absorb  a  large 
portion  of  its  real  estate.  The  death  of  the  pope 
was  predicted,  in  case  he  signed  the  brief,  and  when 
Clement  subscribed  his  name  he  was  heard  to  say, 
"  This  suppression  will  be  my  death." 

He  was  then  in  full  activity  and  in  perfect  health, 
but  in  the  course  of  a  few  months,  after  eating  a 
hearty  meal,  he  became  suddenly  ill,  his  appetite  and 
strength  deserted  him ;  he  told  De  Benis,  the  French 
minister,  that  he  was  poisoned.  He  gradually  wasted 
away.  At  length  he  died.  His  person,  after  death, 
exhibited  the  effects  of  slow  poison.  His  face  was 
livid,  his  lips  blackened,  his  body  emaciated,  his  hair 
and  skin  clung  to  his  bed-linen.  Rome  was  nearly 
unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  he  was  poisoned,  al- 
though the  physician  Salsetti  reported  that  he  could 
find  no  proof  of  poison,  and  ascribed  his  death  to  ex- 
cessive perspiration  and  the  poverty  of  his  blood.  But 
the  concurrence  of  events,  the  predictions  so  soon 
realized,  the  joy  evinced  by  the  Jesuits  upon  his  de- 
cease, the  opinion  he  often  expressed,  that  he  was 
poisoned,  the  singular  fact  that  he  was  in  high  health 
seized  by  a  wasting  disease,  without  apparent  cause, 
the  appearance  of  his  body,  the  language  of  his  suc- 
cessor, who  did  not  hesitate  to  express  the  opinion  to 
De  Benis,  that  he  paid  the  forfeit  of  his  life  for  sign- 
ing the  brief,  the  opinion  of  De  Benis  himself,  which 


154  THE  CATHOLIC. 

appears  by  the  official  correspondence  of  this  minister 
with  the  court  of  France,  all  tend  to  implicate  the 
Jesuits.^ 

Clement  XIV.  apparently  sealed  with  his  blood 
the  condemnation  of  the  order. 

The  fall  of  the  Jesuits  and  the  circumstances  at- 
tending it,  were  a  severe  blow  to  the  Roman  Catholic 
faith.     To  cite  Macaulay  again :  — 

"  The  Church  of  Rome  was  still  in  outward  show 
as  stately  and  splendid  as  ever,  but  her  foundations 
w^ere  undermined.  No  State  had  quitted  her  com- 
munion or  confiscated  her  revenues  (since  the  Refor- 
mation), but  the  reverence  of  the  people  was  every- 
where departing  from  her.  The  first  great  warning 
stroke  was  the  fall  of  that  society  which,  in  the  con- 
flict with  Protestantism,  had  saved  the  Catholic 
church  from  destruction.  The  order  of  Jesus  had 
never  recovered  from  the  injury  received  in  the  strug- 
gle with  Port  Royal.  It  was  now  stiU  more  rudely  as- 
sailed by  the  philosophers.  Its  spirit  was  broken,  its 
reputation  was  tainted ;  insulted  by  all  the  men  of 
genius  in  Europe,  condemned  by  the  civil  magis- 
trates, feebly  defended  by  the  chief  of  the  hierarchy, 
it  fell,  and  great  was  the  fall  thereof." 

The  members  of  the  society,  after  vain  efforts  for 
a  revocation  of  the  brief,  retired  into  obscurity,  to 
wait  for  brighter  days ;  or  took  refuge  in  the  North, 
which  was  opened  to  them  by  Frederick  the  Great 
and  Catherine  II.,  with  a  view  to  conciliate  the 
Roman  Catholic  subjects,  acquired  by  the  conquest 
of   Silesia  and  the  partition  of  Poland.     Here  for 

^  Nicolini,  St  Priest. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  155 

years  they  lingered,  until  a.  d.  1815,  when  they  began 
to  interfere  with  the  institutions  of  Russia,  and  Alex- 
ander banished  them  from  St.  Petersburg  and  War- 
saw. 

But  with  the  holy  alliance,  a  brighter  day  dawned 
upon  the  Jesuits  ;  the  restored  sovereigns  were  led  to 
believe,  that  they  required  the  aid  of  Jesuits  to 
secure  their  thrones ;  and  the  Church  of  Rome, 
prostrated  by  the  revolutions  of  Europe,  looked  to 
them  for  assistance.  Before  the  close  of  a.  d.  1815, 
Pius  VII.  issued  a  decree,  to  rescind  the  brief  of  sup- 
pression, alleging  their  valuable  services  in  Russia, 
their  past  efficiency,  and  urging  too,  that  "  the  bark 
of  St.  Peter,  tossed  on  stormy  seas,  required  the 
aid  of  vigorous  and  experienced  rowers."  They 
were  invited  again  to  Spain  and  France ;  and  the 
ancient  order,  without  any  reversal  of  the  judgment, 
under  which  it  had  been  condemned  as  dangerous  to 
the  peace  and  incompatible  with  the  laws  of  na- 
tions, after  a  lapse  of  nearly  half  a  century,  found  it- 
self restored  to  its  ancient  position.  Since  a.  d. 
1815  it  has  rapidly  expanded,  it  has  recovered 
six  thousand  members,  and  a  large  portion  of  its 
property. 

The  society  is  now  commencing  in  the  United 
States,  as  it  began  in  Europe ;  founding  colleges 
throughout  the  Union,  educating  the  poor  as  well 
as  the  rich,  and  selecting  the  most  intelligent  for  its 
own  order,  and  it  is  for  the  futm-e  to  determine,  how 
far  it  can  gain  an  ascendency,  in  a  country  where 
popular  sovereignty  and  education  predominate. 

In  the  Old  World  it  has  usually  allied  itself  with 
fanaticism  and  arbitrary  power  against  the  rights  of 


156  THE   CATHOLIC. 

the  people.  What  form  it  is  to  assume,  and  what 
aspect  to  take  in  the  political  struggles  of  America, 
it  is  for  the  future  to  determine.  Let  us  console 
ourselves  with  the  hope  that  — 

"  Magna  est  Veritas  et  prsevalebit."  ^ 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 

^  For  sketches  of  the  Jesuits  and  Jansenists  and  a  description  of 
Portroyal,  see  Appendix,  p.  236,  245,  259,  261. 


LETTER    XIX. 

Ltnn  Beach,  November,  1855. 

My  dear  S.  .  .  :  —  Should  you  apply  to  a  member 
of  the  Roman  Hierarchy,  or  ask  in  a  Roman  Catholic 
bookstore  for  the  oath  or  promise  to  obey  the  Roman 
pontiff,  which  is  imposed  on  adults  at  baptism,  or  for 
the  bishop's  oath  of  obedience  to  "  his  Lord  the  Pope, 
and  his  successors,"  without  which  he  cannot  be  in- 
stalled, some  effort  would  doubtless  be  made  to  quiet 
your  republican  scruples,  or  you  might  be  told  with  a 
placid  and  pleasant  smile,  as  I  have  been,  that  such 
vows  of  obedience  relate  only  to  spiritual  things. 

Sanguine  as  I  am  as  to  the  future  prospects  of 
the  Protestant  faith,  yet  at  this  moment  when  the 
Romish  Hierarchy  claim  that  they  have  made  great 
progress  in  England,  where  they  are  gaining  access 
to  her  seats  of  learning  and  offices  in  her  colleges  ; 
when  they  seek  to  revive  in  the  Church  of  England 
the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  mediseval  times,  and 
the  superstitious  observances  of  the  dark  ages ; 
W'hen  they  tell  us,  in  th^  language  of  Bossuet,  "  that 
Rome  is  not  exhausted  in  her  old  age,  or  the  force 
of  her  voice  extinct ;  "  when  they  point  to  England 
as  the  field  for  their  next  triumph,  and  our  divines 
apprise  us  that  they  have  matured  conspiracies  to 
restore  to  the  Roman  pontiff  his  domain  of  Amer- 
ica ;  when  the  emperor  of  France  makes  new  con- 

^  For  bishop's  oaths,  see  Appendix,  p.  233. 

.   14  (16^> 


158  THE  CATHOLIC. 

cessions  to  the  pope,  and  sustains  his  triple  ci'own 
by  French  bayonets ;  when  the  Emperor  of  Austria, 
with  a  blind  fatuity,  signs  a  new  concordat,  by 
which  he  resigns  to  the  pope  the  education  and 
religion  of  thirty-four  millions,  it  is  well  to  consider 
the  origin,  nature,  and  extent  of  that  papal  power, 
which  the  Church  of  Rome  would  have  predominate 
in  America. 

"  The  Church,"  to  use  the  language  of  our  jurist 
Evans,^  in  his  able  treatise  on  the  Episcopate, 
"  is  a  spiritual  kingdom,  erected  for  the  promotion 
of  the  spiritual  welfare  of  mankind.  It  is  not  of 
this  world,  because  its  chief  end  relates  to  an- 
other. It  deals  entirely  with  the  spirits  or  souls  of 
men,  and  is  therefore  a  spiritual  society.  The  State, 
on  the  other  hand,  is  a  temporal  society  erected  for 
the  promotion  of  the  temporal  welfare  of  mankind. 
Into  this,  material  things  largely  enter.  Hence  it 
follows  that  the  State  must  possess  the  ultimate 
dominion  over  material  things.  So  the  dominion 
of  the  State  is  over  the  bodies  and  goods  of  men, 
that  of  the  Church  over  their  hearts  and  minds." 

For  several  centuries  the  Church  of  Rome  ac- 
quiesced in  this  view  of  the  relative  power  of  the 
Church  and  State,  and  although  the  seeds  of  ambi- 
tion began  to  expand  under  the  reckless  and  aspir- 
ing Callistus  'and  Damasus,  and  although  Felix 
III.,2  A.  D.  383,  advised  his  clergy,  "  that  it  was 
safest  in  causes  relating  to  God,  to  study  to  subject 
the  royal  will  to  the  priesthood,"  and  although  men- 
aces were  sometimes  used  by  the  bishops  of  Rome, 

'  "  The  Episcopate,"  by  Hugh  Davy  Evans,  1855,  p.  19. 
■'  P.  Felix,  III.  Dist.  X.  c.  3. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  159 

the  clergy  for  centuries  afterwards  recognized  the 
paramount  power  of  the  Roman  emperor ;  and  it 
was  not  until  the  pontificate  of  the  fierce  and  im- 
perious Hildebrand/  the  contemporary  of  William 
the  Conqueror,  in  the  eleventh  century,  that  the 
Roman  pontiff  claimed  a  supremacy  over  kings 
and  emperors. 

In  the  fifth  and  sixth  centuries,  Popes  Gelasius  ^ 
and  Symmachus,^  expressly  recognize  the  imperial 
power  as  superior  to  their  own. 

Thus  Pope  Gelasius  I.  writes  to  the  emperor 
Anastasius :  — 

"  I,  as  a  Roman  born,  do  love,  worship,  and  rever- 
ence thee,  as  a  Roman  prince ;  "  and  fiirther,  "  The 
prelates  of  religion,  aware  that  empire  was  conferred 
on  thee  by  Divine  Providence,  obey  thy  laws  and 
thee."  Again  he  writes,  "  Christ  has  distinguished 
the  offices  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  power,  by  their 
appropriate  acts  and  dignities,"  and  neither  should 
interfere  with  the  other. 

Afterwards,  Pope  Symmachus  I.  writes,  "  We 
did  not  excommunicate  thee,  O  emperor,  but  Aca- 
cius."  "  If  you  mingle  yourself,  you  are  not  ex- 
communicated by  us,  but  by  yourself."  He  further 
writes,  "  that  Acacius  was  excommunicated  with  the 
assent  of  the  senate  ;  "  that  he,  the  pope,  had  not  pre- 
sumed to  excommunicate  the  emperor,  but  had 
followed  without  doubt  the  acts  of  his  predecessors. 

Again,  Pope  Gelasius,  in  another  letter,  writes, 
"  My  predecessor  (Symmachus)  did  not  so  much  as 

^  Pope  Gregory  VII. 

^  P.  Gelas.  I.  Epist.  8,  (ad  Anast.  Im.'i 

'  P.  Symmaclius,  I.  EpIst.  7. 


160  THE   CATHOLIC. 

touch  the  name  of  the  emperor,^  and  repels  the 
charge,  that  he  ever  condemned  Anastasius,  the 
emperor." 

Afterwards,  Pope  Gregory  I.,^  as  became  a  good 
and  pious  man,  acknowledged,  in  his  letters,  the 
emperor  to  be  "  his  lord,  by  God's  gift,  superior  to 
all  men,  —  to  whom  he  was  subject,  whom  he  was 
in  duty  bound  to  obey,  regarding  it  as  high  presump- 
tion for  any  one  to  set  himself  above  the  power  of 
the  emperor,  by  assuming  the  title  of  universal 
bishop." 

Pope  Agatho,  in  the  seventh  century,  at  Rome, 
in  the  acts  of  the  council,  which  preceded  the 
sixth  CEcumenical  Council,  a.  d.  680,  styles  the  em- 
peror, Constantine  Pogonatus,  "  his  Lord,"  and 
avows  "  himself  with  all  the  presidents  of  the  church, 
servants  of  the  emperor." 

After  him.  Pope  Constantine  was  commanded 
by  the  emperor  Anastasius  to  repair  to  Constantino- 
ple, A.  D.  703,  and  the  most  holy  man,  as  Anasta- 
sius in  his  memoirs  informs  us,  did  obey  the  imperial 
mandate.^ 

Even  after  Pope  Boniface  III.  had  obtained  from 
the  usurper  Phocas,  the  title  of  universal  bishop, 
Pope  Gregory  II.,  who  withdrew  Italy  from  the 
oriental  empire,  addresses  a  letter  to  the  emperor, 
Leo  Isaurus,  and  admits  the  emperor  to  be  "  the  lord 
and  the  king  of  the  Christians,"  and  himself,  con- 
sequently, subject  to  him.* 

»  P.  Gelas.  I.  Epist.  4. 

"  P.  Greg.  I-Epist.  11,  26. 

*  Anastasius  lU  vit.  P.  Constansine. 

*  A  copy  of  -whicli  in  tlie  original  Greek,  is  cited  by  Barrow. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  161 

A  noble  bishop,  more  than  seven  centuries  since, 
wrote  upon  this  subject,  that  "  I  read,  and  read 
again  the  records  of  the  Roman  kings  and  emperors, 
and  I  nowhere  find  that  any  of  them  was  excommu- 
nicated or  deprived  of  his  kingdom  by  the  Roman 
pontiff,"  and  this,  too,  in  face  of  the  fact  that  both  in- 
fidels and  heretics  filled  at  times  the  imperial  throne. 
If  the  early  popes  had  power  to  depose  monarchs, 
why  were  not  the  apostate  and  infidel  Julian,  and  the 
Arians,  Theodoricand  Constantinus,  hurled  from  their 
thrones  ?  Why  have  we  not  in  those  days  heard  a 
murmm*  from  the  Vatican  ? 

But  subsequently  there  was  a  marvellous  change. 
During  the  ages  of  superstition  the  popes  of  Rome  be- 
gan to  acquire  temporal  power,  and  to  indulge  in 
worldly  ambition.  Those  decretal  letters  were  fabri- 
cated, which  nearly  all  the  critics  of  Christendom  have 
for  centuries  pronounced  spurious,  and  which  carry 
in  their  language  discrepancies  and  quotations,  the 
most  conclusive  evidence  of  forgery.  These  contribu- 
ted at  that  period  to  the  influence  of  the  popes. 
They  took  part  in  the  quarrels  of  princes  when 
power  was  to  be  gained.  Even  William  of  Nor- 
mandy did  not  embark  for  England  until  Alexander 
XL,  who  preceded  Hildebrand,  had  recognized  his 
claims,  and  sent  him  a  ring,  with  the  hair  of  St. 
Peter,  and  a  consecrated  banner.  But  Pope  Alex- 
ander n.  did  not  throw  the  broad  mantle  of  religion 
over  the  violence  of  his  invasion  without  an  adequate 
motive,  for  the  historian  Hume  informs  us  that  Wil- 
liam alone  had  made  an  appeal  to  his  tribunal,  and 
rendered  him  umpire  in  the  dispute  between  him 
and  Harold. 


162  THE   CATHOLIC. 

England,  too,  "  maintained  still  a  considerable  inde- 
pendence in  its  ecclesiastical  administration,  and  forming 
a  world  within  itself  entirely  separated  from  the  rest 
of  Europe,  it  had  hitherto  proved  inaccessible  to  those 
exorbitant  claims  which  supported  the  grandeur  of  the 
papacy.  Alexander  therefore  hoped  that  the  French 
and  Norman  barons,  if  successful  in  their  enterprise, 
might  import  into  that  country  a  more  devoted  rever- 
ence for  the  Holy  See,  and  bring  the  English  churches 
to  a  nearer  conformity  with  those  of  the  continent. 
He  declared  himself  immediately  in  favor  of  Wil- 
liam's claim,  pronounced  Harold  a  perjured  usurper, 
and  denounced  excommunication  against  him  and 
his  adherents."  ^ 

After  the  battle  of  Hastings  the  papal  bull  was  use- 
ful in  effecting  the  submission  of  the  clergy,  and  the 
subjection  of  the  people.  William  sent  to  Rome  the 
royal  banner  of  Harold,  received  the  first  legate  from 
the  pope,  and  made  Lanfranc,  a  Milanese  monk,  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury .2  The  exertions  of  Lanfranc  in- 
creased the  influence  of  Rome  in  England,  where  the 
insular  position  of  the  kingdom  favored  its  progress, 
and  where  it  was  less  checked  by  knowledge  and 
liberal  education  than  in  other  kingdoms  of  Em-ope. 

Hildebrand  became  pope  during  the  reign  of  Wil- 
liam, and  consolidated  the  papal  power.  Excited  by 
the  success  of  William,  by  the  growth  of  his  tempo- 
ral power,  by  the  reverence  inspired  by  the  forged 
decretals,  by  the  rank  of  universal  bishop,  and  the 

^  See  Hume's  History  of  England,  Vol.  I.  Title  Harold. 

*  Lanfranc  wrote  in  defence  of  the  real  presence,  against  Beren- 
garius,  and  in  those  ages  of  ignorance  he  was  much  applauded  for 
the  performance.  —  Hume.,  Vol.  I.  Title,  William  the  Conqueror. 


THE   CATHOLIC.        '  163 

overthrow  of  the  power  of  the  Eastern  emperors  in 
Italy,  he  coined  the  arrogant  language  of  Boniface 
into  maxims  for  the  ^papacy.  These,  with  the  flatter- 
ing words  of  Thomas  Aquinas,^  the  chief  of  the 
schoolmen,  have  been  adopted  as  guides  by  his  suc- 
cessors. He  was  the  first  to  raise  the  priest's  lance 
against  the  royal  diadem,  and  to  demand  submission 
of  kings  and  emperors.  Indomitable  by  nature,  and 
elated  by  success,  restrained  by  no  respect  for  human 
rights,  he  stands  preeminent  for  his  pretensions  and 
his  actual  power  in  the  long  line  of  Roman  pontiffs. 

What  are  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  power  thus 
usurped  by  the  imperious  Hildebrand,  and  trans- 
mitted to  his  successors?  The  leading  authorities 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  Thomas  Aquinas,  Bellar- 
mine,  and  Baronius  define  this  power,  and  I  shall 
refer  to  them,  as  Roman  Catholic  authorities,  for  its 
extent  and  nature.  The  astute  Aquinas  affirms 
"  that  the  pope,  as  supreme  king  of  all  the  world,  may 
impose  taxes  on  all  Christians,  and  destroy  cities  and 
castles  to  preserve  Christianity." 

He  adds,  "  That  the  pope  is  at  the  summit  of  both 
powers,  and  when  any  one  is  denounced  as  excom- 
municated for  apostasy,  his  subjects  are  immediately 
freed  from  his  dominion  and  their  oath  of  allegiance 
to  him."  2 

The  learned  Bellarmine  declares  it  to  be  the  com- 
mon opinion  of  Roman  Catholics  "  that  the  pope,  by 

^  Thomas  Aquinas,  a  favorite  author  of  the  Romanists,  under- 
takes to  show  in  his  work  against  the  Greeks  "  that  it  is  necessary 
for  salvation  to  submit  to  the  Roman  pontiff." 

"  Bell.  V.  1-5  ;  Thomas,  n.  Secund.  ques.  12,  art.  2. 


164  THE   CATHOLIC. 

reason  of  his  spiritual  power,  has,  at  least  indirectly, 
a  supreme  power  even  in  temporal  affairs."  ^ 

Baronius,  the  historian  of  the  pontificate,  assures 
us  that  "  the  civil  principality  is  undoubtedly  subject 
to  the  sacerdotal,  and  that  God  has  subjected  the  po- 
litical government  to  the  dominion  of  the  spiritual 
church,"  2  and  again,  "  they  are  all  branded  as  here- 
tics who  take  from  the  Church  of  Rome  and  See  of 
St.  Peter,  one  of  the  two  swords,  and  allow  only  the 
spiritual."  ^ 

It  has  been  urged  by  some  modern  writers  that 
the  Church  of  Rome  has  renounced  some  of  the 
powers  assumed  by  Hildebrand  and  his  successors ; 
but  we  have  no  evidence  of  such  relmquishment. 
What  council  or  pope  have  made  such  admission 
or  confirmed  such  statement  ?  No  such  admission 
or  assertion  of  any  individual  can  be  received  as  evi- 
dence in  the  face  of  pontifical  acts,  unless  "  it  is  de- 
livered ex  cathedrd^  and  bears  the  seal  of  the  fisher- 
man's ring."* 

If  in  modern  times  the  Roman  pontiff  less  fre- 
quently exercises  in  a  direct  manner  his  dominion  in 
temporal  affairs,  we  may  safely  infer  it  is  because  the 
fitting  hour  has  not  yet  arrived,  or  because  he  prefers 
for  the  time  to  follow  the  doctrine  of  Bellarmine,  and 
to  effect  indirectly  and  by  the  spiritual  sword  great 
political  results.      But  in  the  days  of  William  the 

1  Bell.  V.  1. 

-  Baronius,  anno  57,  §23,53. 

^  Baronius,  anno  1053,  §  14,  Haeresi.  Politic,  anno  1073,  §  13. 

*  I  ({uote  from  an  able  article  in  the  North  American  Review, 
for  January,  185C,  to  which  I  am  indebted  for  some  valuable  fcicts 
and  suggestions,  as  these  letters  are  going  to  the  press. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  165 

Conqueror  the  papal  power  was  in  the  ascendant, 
the  minds  of  men  steeped  in  ignorance  and  supersti- 
tion, and  debased  by  civil  and  religious  usurpation. 
Hndebrand  was  neither  fastidious  nor  easily  alarmed. 
He  summoned  Henry,  the  emperor  of  Germany,  be- 
fore him  to  justify  his  conduct. 

The  emperor  deposed  the  pope,  and  the  pope  de- 
posed the  emperor  and  absolved  his  subjects  from 
their  allegiance.     The  result  was  a   civil  war.     At 
length  the  emperor  was  obliged  to  ask  forgiveness  of  . 
Hildebrand. 

For  three  days  in  January  he  was  compelled  to 
wait  fasting,  clothed  in  sackcloth,  and  with  naked 
feet,  in  the  ante-room,  before  he  could  be  allowed  to 
kiss  the  feet  of  the  pontiff. 

The  successors  of  Hildebrand  adopted  his  maxims 
for  their  guidance,  and  for  eight  centuries  have  in- 
sisted upon  their  prerogative. 

A.  D.  1099  Pope  Paschal  II.  deposed  Henry  IV.,  Eiriperor  of  Germany. 


"       1218 

" 

Innocent  III.    " 

OthoIV., 

"       1345 

" 

" 

IV.  " 

Frederic  II.,      "        "        " 

"       1346 

(( 

Clement  VI.     " 

Lewis  IV.,  ,    "        "        " 

"       1546 

<l 

Paul  III. 

(( 

The  Elector  of  Cologne. 

"       1570 

Ct 

Pius  V. 

(t 

Elizabeth,  Queen  of  England 

"       1.588 

" 

Sixtus  V. 

' 

Henry,  King  of  Navarre. 

«                   K 

a 

»           u 

" 

The  Prince  of  Conde. 

Let  me  add,  that  as  late  as  a.  d.  1809,  the  pope 
issued  his  anathema  against  the  emperor  Napoleon, 
and  virtually,  if  not  expressly,  absolved  all  his  sub- 
jects from  their  allegiance. 

Did  not  the  pope  also,  A.  D.  1794,  reprobate  and 
condemn  the  acts  of  the  ex  parte  Council  of  Pistoia, 
which  approved  a  declaration  of  the  French  clergy, 
that  the  pope  had  not  power  to  depose  kings  or  ab- 


166  THE   CATHOLIC. 

solve  subjects  from  their  allegiance,  thus  by  necessary 
implication  claiming  this  power ;  and  later,  in  1851, 
anathematize  a  book  written  in  Peru  to  refute  the 
doctrine  that  he  who  governs  in  spiritual  things  gov- 
erns also  in  temporal  ? 

"  And  even  later,  in  July  last,  the  government  of 
Sardinia  having  passed  a  law,  as  the  pope  recites, 
to  suppress  almost  all  monastic  and  religious  commu- 
nities, collegiate  churches,  etc.,  and  to  hand  over  their 
revenues  and  property  to  the  free  disposition  of  the 
civil  power,  he  declared  this  law  to  be  null  and  void, 
and  excommunicated  the  king  and  parliament  which 
passed  it. 

"  Moreover,  the  government  of  Spain  having,  as 
the  pope  again  recites,  in  the  same  month  of  July, 
passed  a  law  ordering  the  sale  of  church  property, 
and  issued  various  decrees,  forbidding  bishops  to  con- 
fer holy  orders,  he,  in  virtue  of  his  apostolic  authority, 
abrogated,  and  declared  null  and  void  the  law  and 
decree  aforesaid. 

"  Though  the  papal  hierarchy  has  renounced  none 
of  its  pretensions,  a  great  change  has  taken  place  in 
many  parts  of  the  Christian  world,  and  this  change 
has  doubtless  proved  a  restraint  on  its  conduct.  It 
has  exercised  less  frequently  the  powers  which  it  once 
exercised  often.  Its  thunder  has  not  been  so  frequent 
or  so  loud.  Well  remembering  that  its  power  has 
had  alternate  periods  of  decline  and  restoration,  it 
waits,  and  waits  patiently,  taking  care  not  to  excite 
alarm,  for  the  time  when  the  thunder  of  the  Vatican 
shall  be  again  efficient,  not  only  to  terrify  the  igno- 
rant and  credulous,  but  to  rally  under  its  banner  the 
selfisli,  ambitious,  and  sceptical.     That  it  is  a  politi- 


THE   CATHOLIC.  167 

cal,  as  well  as  a  religious  party,  its  whole  career 
gives  manifest  and  forcible  testimony."  ^ 

It  has  been  urged  by  some  followers  of  the  Church 
of  Rome,  that  the  Reformation  checked  the  revival 
of  letters,  and  retarded  the  march  of  intellect.  It  is 
doubtless  true,  that  before  the  dawn  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, the  discovery  of  printing  had  given  an  impulse 
to  mind,  and  the  capture  of  Constantinople  had  en- 
riched Italy  -with  scholars  and  manuscripts  of 
the  classics.  It  is  true,  also,  that  while  Italy  was  de- 
pressed by  the  debasing  sensuality  of  Alexander  VI., 
or  excited  by  the  wars  of  Julius  III.,  art  had  minis- 
tered to  luxury,  and  embellished  Rome. with  some  of 
its  palaces  and  galleries,  and  that  the  com-t  of  Leo 
X.  favored  painting  and  poetry,  while  the  ministers 
of  religion,  faithless  to  their  God,  made  its  mysteries 
a  subject  of  derision,  and  the  lower  classes  were  en- 
chained in  heathen  superstition. 

The  brief  encotiragement  given  to  art  and  letters 
in  these  periods  of  vice  and  infidelity,  stand  out,  how- 
ever, in  bold  relief  in  the  history  of  the  Roman  Hie- 
rarchy, and  the  traveller  may  well  ask,  where  are  the 
millions  buried,  which,  for  more  than  ten  centuries 
have  been  wrung  by  the  See  of  Rome  from  ignorance 
and  superstition  throughout  Christendom  ?  The  Rom- 
ish hierarchy,  down  to  the  days  of  Luther,  had  done 
little  or  nothing  for  the  advance  of  science,  and  since 
that  period,  in  the  fairest  provinces  of  Europe  and 
America,  in  Italy,  Austria,  Spain,  and  Portugal, 
and  in  Mexico,  Chili,  La  Plata,  Brazil,  Peru,  and 
Lower  Canada  have  paralyzed  the  growth  of  knowl- 
edge, freedom,  and  the  arts  of  life.    Not  content  with 

^  See  North  American  Keview  for  January,  1856,  p.  124. 


168  THE  CATHOLIC. 

establishing  the  Jesuits  to  control  the  sources  of 
knowledge  and  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  by  grasping 
the  schools,  colleges,  and  confessional,  they  have, 
since  the  discovery  of  printing,  closed  another  access 
to  the  mind,  by  decreeing  that  no  book  shall  be  pub- 
lished, or  read,  under  penalty  of  fine  and  excom- 
munication, until  its  approval  by  the  Inquisition. 
And  their  minister,  the  'Inquisition,  has  placed  its 
seal  of  condemnation  on  not  less  than  seven  thou- 
sand volumes,  including  the  works  of  Locke,  Milton, 
and  Bacon,  and  the  Holy  Scriptures.  It  has  further 
decreed,  that  any  who  shall  read  the  last  without  per- 
mission of  a  priest,  shall  "  be  incapable  of  receiving 
remission  of  sins,"  and  incur  besides,  in  some  coun- 
tries, a  temporal  punishment. 

I  have  alluded  to  that  mysterious  engine  of  the 
Roman  Hierarchy,  the  Inquisition,  in  using  which  they 
have  combined  the  spiritual  and  temporal  power, 
dooming  those  suspected  of  spiritual  errors,  I  might 
say  of  spiritual  truth,  to  wearisome  imprisonment, 
excruciating  torture,  an  unfair  trial,  to  death  by  the 
fagot  and  the  stake,  and  finally,  to  a  confiscation  of 
property  to  their  persecutors,  accompanied  by  infamy 
for  their  posterity. 

It  is  the  only  stigma  that  rests  on  the  reign  of  the 
Spanish  queen,  Isabella,  that  she  established  a  local 
Inquisition,  to  prevent  the  relapse  of  the  converted 
Jews  and  Moriscos.  But  the  general  Inquisition  did 
not  originate  in  Spain ;  it  was  organized  by  the  sover- 
eign pontiff  himself,  to  prevent  the  reformation  of  re- 
ligion. When  the  doctrines  of  Luther  had  pervaded  ^ 

*  Ranke's  History  of  the  Popes,  I.  p.  136. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  169 

Germany,  and,  passing  the  Alps,  reached  even 
Rome ;  when  a  powerful  party  was  formed  in  Rome 
itself,  to  reform  the  church,  some  of  whose  prel- 
ates favored  reformation  at  the  council  of  Trent 
Pope  Paul  IV.,  alarmed  by  the  progress  of  events, 
called  to  his  council  the  cardinals  Caraffa  and  To- 
ledo, stern  old  Dominicans,  and  asked  them  to  pro- 
pose a  remedy.  As  the  old  Inquisition  had  fallen 
into  decay,  they  advised  the  pope  to  establish  the 
general  Inquisition,  as  a  remedy  for  the  evils  he  depre- 
cated. The  Jesuits  account  it  one  of  the  glories 
of  their  order,  that  Loyola,  their  founder,  sup- 
ported the  proposition  by  an  elaborate  memorial. 
The  advice  thus  given  and  sustained  was  accepted, 
and  July  21,  A.  d.  1542,  Paul  IV.  issued  his  brief  for 
a  supreme  tribunal  of  the  Inquisition,  universal  in 
its  jurisdiction,  and  on  which  all  others  should  de- 
pend. By  this  edict  six  cardinals  were  made  in- 
quisitors, with  authority  to  delegate  their  power. 
The  tribunal  was  placed  above  all  civil  power. 
Princes,  prelates,  and  all  other  ranks  of  life,  were 
alike  subjected  to  its  authority.  It  "v^as  directed  to 
sujipress  and  uproot  the  errors  that  have  found  place 
in  Christendom,  permitting  no  vestige  of  them  to 
remain,  and  by  the  terms  of  the  brief,  it  was  required 
to  imprison  the  suspected,  and  punish  the  guilty, 
both  by  death  and  confiscation ;  and  no  prince  or 
potentate  except  the  pope,  was  permitted  to  absolve 
from  its  sentence. 

Thus  were  the  lives  and  fortunes  of  all  Christen- 
dom placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Romish  Hierarchy, 
and  at  the  mercy  of  spies  and  informers. 

The  first  movement  of  the  Inquisition  was  to 
15 


170  THE   CATHOLIC. 

prosecute  every  member  of  the  priesthood  at  Rome 
who  favored  reform.  The  most  prominent  were  im- 
prisoned, driven  into  exile,  executed,  or  compelled  to 
retract.  Many  of  the  Franciscans  were  obliged  to 
recant,  books  favoring  reform,  together  with  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  were  prohibited,  a  dead  weight 
placed  on  the  minds  of  Christians,  and  all  reform 
within  the  church  itself  was  carefully  suppressed. 

I  will  not  trace  the  progress  of  the  Inquisition 
through  the  different  States  of  Europe.  Wherever 
it  was  planted,  it  effectually  checked  the  progress 
of  letters  and  of  science ;  and  death  and  desolation 
marked  its  steps.  Authentic  records  show  that  in 
Spain  alone,  more  than  three  hundred  thousand 
victims  were  either  burnt  at  the  stake,  or  sentenced 
to  loathsome  dungeons  or  the  galleys. 

The  testimony  was  taken  in  secret,  the  suspected 
were  not  confronted  with  the  accuser,  the  prisoner 
was  not  allowed  to  see  the  charge  preferred,  or  per- 
mitted to  communicate  with  counsel,  and  tortures 
were  applied  to  aid  conviction. 

Fear  fell  upon  the  people,  and  in  western  Europe, 
peasants,  gentry,  and  nobles  hastened  to  enroll  them- 
selves as  soldiers  of  the  Inquisition. 

At  length  human  nature  could  endure  no  more. 
The  people  rose ;  the  prisons  and  tribunals  of  the  in- 
stitution were  generally  overthrown,  although  the 
Roman  inquisitor  still  conducts  his  trials  in  the  dun- 
geons of  the  Vatican. 

The  Romish  Hierarchy  have  not  yet  introduced 
the  Inquisition  into  these  United  States;  but  they 
pursue  here  the  maxims  of  Bellarmine,  and  by 
means  of  their  spiritual  authority,  exert  indirectly  a 


THE   CATHOLIC.  171 

mighty  povjer  over  temporal  affairs.  Even  without 
the  Inquisition,  there  still  may  be  tyranny  which  can 
efiectually  reach  tlie  person  and  property,  through 
the  medium  of  the  mind.  The  torture  may  be  ap- 
plied directly  to  the  spirit,  and  thus  indirectly  con- 
trol the  person  and  property  quite  as  successfully  as 
the  civil  power. 

By  the  speech  of  J.  O.  Putnam  of  Buffalo,  de- 
livered last  winter  in  the  senate  of  New  York,  we 
learn  that  the  council  of  Roman  Catholic  bishops, 
convened  at  Baltimore,  a.  d.  1849,  decreed  that  "  all 
churches,  and  all  other  ecclesiastical  property,  which 
has  been  acquired  by  donation,  or  offerings  of  the 
faithful  for  religious  or  charitable  use,  belong  to  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese ;  unless  it  shall  be  made  to 
appear,  and  be  confirmed  by  writings,  that  it  was 
granted  to  some  religious  order  of  monks,  or  to  some 
congregation  of  priests,  for  their  use."  This  claim, 
under  which  churches  are  to  be  wrested  from  the 
men  who  built  them  for  their  own  use,  and  the 
funds  of  charitable  institutions  confided  to  indi- 
viduals for  objects  of  benevolence,  are  to  be  torn 
from  trustees  selected  by  the  donors,  and  engrossed 
by  bishops  obedient  to  the  voice  of  Rome,  instead 
of  the  demands  of  an  enlightened  benevolence,  is 
nearly  as  bold  an  usurpation  as  the  acts  of  Hilde- 
brand,  in  the  eleventh  century. 

What  right  has  the  Roman  pontiff,  an  alien  in  a 
foreign  land,  fettered  by  a  narrow  faith,  by  intoler- 
ance and  pride,  to  grasp  at  millions,  and  bind  those 
millions  in  perpetual  mortmain,  to  be  held  in 
obedience  to  the  single  voice  of  a  foreign  poten- 
tate ? 


172  THE   CATHOLIC. 

It  appears,  however,  that'  he  has  succeeded ;  that 
he  wields  a  power  over  temporal  affairs  which  has  co- 
erced submission ;  which,  throughout  this  vast  Union, 
has  subjected  to  him  such  power  and  wealth  as  no 
Girard  or  Astor  has  ever  held,  at  least  one  million 
in  Erie,  a  remote  county  of  New  York,  and  untold 
millions  in  nearly  a  thousand  other  counties  of  the 
Union. 

We  learn  from  the  speech  of  Mr.  Putnam,  that 
most  of  the  proprietors  and  trustees  have  obeyed 
,  the  bishops,  but  that  one  set  of  trustees,  those  of 
the  church  of  St.  Louis,  at  Buffalo,  had  the  courage 
to  resist  their  oppressive  edict,  and  dared  to  brave  the 
danger  which  impended,  overcoming  the  fear  which 
led  others  to  submission.  They  would  not  yield 
even  to  the  nuncio,  Bedini,  sent  by  the  Roman  pon- 
tiff to  convince  them.     But  what  was  the  result  ? 

"  For  simply  refusing,"  as  they  state  in  their  peti- 
tion to  the  legislature,  "  to  violate  the  trust  law  of 
our  State,  we  have  been  subjected  to  the  forms  of 
excommunication,  and  our  names  held  up  to  infamy 
and  reproach.  For  this  cause,  too,  have  the  whole 
congregation  been  placed  under  ban.  To  our  mem- 
bers, the  holy  rites  of  baptism  and  of  burial  have  been 
denied.  The  marriage  sacrament  has  been  refused. 
The  priest  is  forbidden  to  minister  at  our  altars.  In 
sickness  and  at  the  hour  of  death,  the  holy  consola- 
tions of  religion  are  withheld.  To  the  Catholic 
churchman,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  exaggerate  the 
magnitude  of  such  deprivations." 

Does  not  such  coercion,  whether  it  be  spiritual  or 
temporal,  call  for  the  intervention  of  the  State  ? 
Are  not  tlie  rights  of  property  and  of  conscience  to 


THE   CATHOLIC.  173 

be  protected  by  the  civil  power,  or  is  it  the  policy  of 
our  States  to  suffer  churches,  schools,  orphan  asy- 
lums, or  trust  funds  to  expand  by  the  bequests  of 
protestants  and  the  contributions  of  the  illiterate 
poor,  and  then  allow  a  foreign  colossal  power,  alien 
to  our  institutions  and  policy,  which  has  sworn  its 
agents  to  persecute  nine  tenths  of  us  as  heretics,  to 
usurp  and  wield  for  ever  with  one  will,  an  amount  of 
power  and  of  property,  to  which  no  other  millionaire 
in  America  has  ever  risen  or  aspired,  and  before  which 
his  accumulated  millions  sink  into  insignificance  ?  ^ 


^  The  avidity  of  the  Romish  Hierarchy  for  power  and  wealth 
is  illustrated  in  the  history  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  by  Paulo 
Sarpi  Veneto,  published  in  1620.  By  reference  to  page  460,  it 
appears  that  before  the  Council  had  finished  Its  sessions,  the  pope 
was  urged  by  France  to  grant  the  communion  of  the  cup. 
This  subject,  with  the  marriage  of  the  priests  and  the  use  of  the 
vulgar  tongue  In  the  services  of  the  church,  was  discussed  in  a 
Consistory  held  by  the  pope,  A.  d.  1561.  In  the  Consistory,  Car- 
dinal Pio  dl  Carpi  opposed  all  these  measures,  and  urged  that 
*'  the  grant  of  the  cup  would  open  a  gate  to  demand  an  abrogation 
of  all  positive  constitulionx^  by  which  only  the  prerogative  given  by 
Christ  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  is  preserved  for  by  those  which  are 
'  de  jure  divino'  no  profit  doth  accrue  but  that  which  is  spiritual." 
"  From  the  use  of  the  vulgar  tongue  in  the  service,  the  incon- 
venience would  follow,  that  all  would  think  themselves  divine," 
the  authority  of  prelates  icould  be  dlsesteemed,  and  all  would 
become  heretics."  From,  the  marriage  of  priests  it  toould  ensue, 
"  that  having  house,  wife,  and  children,  they  loill  not  depend  on  the 
pope,  but  on  their  prince,  and  their  love  of  their  children  will 
make  them  yield  to  any  prejudice  of  the  church.  They  ivlll  seek 
to  make  their  benefices  hereditary,  and  so  in  short  space  the  au- 
thority of  the  apostolic  see,  will  be  confined  tvithin  Rome.  Before 
single  life  luas  instituted,  the  See  of  Rome  received  no  profit  from 
15* 


174  THE   CATHOLIC. 

If  England,  in  ancient  times,  was  obliged  to  forbid 
the  payment  of  Peter  Pence,  to  make  excommu- 
nication penal,  and  to  sequestrate  the  property  of 
the  church,  when  Lord  Hardwicke  tells  us  it  had 
absorbed  more  than  half  of  England ;  if  France, 
Spain,  and  Sardinia  have  been  obliged  to  confiscate 
and  sell  the  estates  of  the  Romish  Hierarchy  ;  if 
both  the  Roman  and  British  empires  have  been 
obliged,  by  the  avidity  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  to 
pass  statutes  of  mortmain  ;  may  not  America  derive 
some  light  from  their  example  ?  may  she  not  prohibit 
by  law  any  individual,  whether  alien  or  native,  to 
hold  more  than  a  single  church,  or  single  trust  fund  to 
be  limited  to  a  specific  sum  ?  May  she  not  provide 
that  on  the  death  of  bishops,  or  in  their  lifetime, 
the  churches  they  hold  in  trust,  and  for  which  they 
have  paid  no  consideration,  shall  be  transferred 
to  trustees  for  the  societies  who  built  them  and  use 
them  for  public  worship;  that  trusts  for  charities 
shall  be  resigned  by  the  Roman  pontiff  and  his 
servants  to  public  boards  of  trustees,  acting  under 
the  direction  of  the  State ;  and  that  all  interdicts  from 
the  pope  be  forbidden  and  nullified  by  law,  and  that 

other  nations  and  cities,  and  by  it  is  made  patron  of  viany  hene- 
fices  of  ichicJi  marriage  ivould  quickly  deprive  her." 

Convinced  by  these  and  other  reasons,  the  pope  refused  the 
request  of  France. 

"We  furtlier  learn  from  tills  historv',  that  the  pope  having  through 
the  Jesuits,  and  his  legates  and  bishops,  the  control  of  the  Council 
of  Trent,  and  the  sole  power  of  originating  measures,  prevented 
the  reformation  of  the  church,  in  these  and  other  particulars,  and 
subsequently  rewarded  with  rich  benefices  the  bishops  most  use- 
ful to  him  in  the  Council. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  175 

such  anathemas,  when  issued  by  priests  or  bishops, 
shall  subject  them  to  penal  law,  except  in  cases 
of  moral  turpitude  of  church-members  ? 

Should  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican  have  voice  or 
echo  on  these  shores  ?  And  in  States  whose  con- 
stitutions secure  "  to  every  religious  society  the  ex- 
clusive right  of  electing  their  own  teachers,"  and 
the  right  of  worshipping  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  conscience,  should  a  foreign  prince  or 
prelate  be  allowed  to  turn  both  pastor  and  people 
out  of  doors,  unless  they  conform  their  faith  and 
their  worship  to  his  direction  ?  ^  Would  not  remiss- 
ness on  these  points  tend  to  perpetuate  and  increase 
among  us  a  population,  whose  volitions  would  not 
be  their  own,  and  who  would  check  also  the  progress 
of  their  fellow-citizens ;  and  are  not  our  Roman 
Catholics  also  as  well  entitled  to  the  protection  of 
law,  as  the  protestant  himself? 

These  are  questions  which  demand  the  study  of 
our  statesmen. 

Yours,  truly  and  ajfFectionately. 

'  For  effects  and  tendency  of  papacy,  see  extract  from  Barrow, 
Appendix,  p.  269. 


LETTER    XX. 

Lynx  Beach,  Nov.  7,  1855. 

Dear  S.  . . :  —  In  my  preceding  letters,  I  have 
questioned  the  supremacy  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
shown  its  departure  from  the  worship  of  the  early 
Christians,  traced  its  rites  and  ceremonies  to  pagan- 
ism, pointed  out  the  successive  changes  it  has 
adopted  both  in  faith  and  doctrine,  portrayed  the 
character  of  its  zealous  allies  the  Jesuits,  and  proved 
by  their  admissions  that  it  is  gradually  substituting 
the  worship  of  the  Virgin  for  the  adoration  of  the 
Deity. 

The  question  then  recurs,  what  vestiges  do  remain 
of  the  apostolic  church ;  what  evidence  do  we  possess 
of  its  rules,  faith,  and  worship,  and  how  far  have  the 
reformed  churches  in  general,  and  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  particular,  conformed  to  the  same  ?  The 
inquiry  is  deeply  interesting ;  and,  to  use  the  words  of 
Bunsen,  one  of  the  latest  and  ablest  writers  on  this 
subject,  "  what  true  and  reflecting  Christian  is  there, 
who  can  be  indifferent  to  learn  how  in  the  first  cen- 
turies, the  apostolic  men  understood  the  letter  of  the 
gospel,  and  how  they  undertook  to  realize  the  mes- 
sage of  salvation  in  doctrine,  worship,  faith,  and  life  ? 
Here  is  the  commencement  of  the  church ;  here  is  the 
apostolic  realization  of  the  Bible."  ^   And  it  is  pleasant 

^  Bunsen's  Hippolytus.  • 

(176) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  177 

to  recur  with  this  great  minister  of  Prussia  to  the  me- 
morials of  that  primitive  church  he  has  so  vividly  pic- 
tured in  his  treatise ;  a  work  published  by  a  Prus- 
sian in  our  own  language,  a  noble  tribute  from  a 
foreign  scholar  and  statesman  to  the  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity. He  adduces  proofs  that  there  were  in  the 
first  two  centuries,  rules  and  forms  derived  from 
apostolic  times  reduced  at  an  early  day  to  writing, 
and  revered  next  after  the  Scriptures  as  the  canons 
of  the  church  and  the  rules  of  worship.  Clement, 
the  friend  of  St.  Paul  and  contemporary  of  St.  John, 
refers  to  them  in  his  letter  to  the  Corinthians  ;  Ire- 
nsBus,  the  pupil  of  Polycarp,  alludes  to  the  sacred 
ordinances  of  the  apostles.  Hippolytus,  or  the  work 
ascribed  to  him,  composed  early  in  the  third  century, 
recurs  to  the  ecclesiastical  rules.  St.  Augustine,  St. 
Jerome,  and  St.  Athanasius  in  the  fourth  century, 
and  Eusebius  and  Epiphanius  in  a  succeeding 
century,  refer  to  or  cite  from  these  canons,  and 
St.  Chrysostom  gives  copious  extracts.  At  least 
sixty  ancient  manuscripts,  in  different  languages 
found  in  Greek,  Syrian,  Coptic,  Abyssinian,  and 
Nestorian  churches  are  still  extant,  and  contain 
these  ordinances.  They  were  preserved  in  the  great 
churches  of  Antioch,  Alexandria,  and  Jerusalem, 
and  in  others  which  separated  from  the  mother 
church  in  the  fifth  century,  as  living,  practical  rules. 
They  agree  in  many  particulars,  and  in  most  essen- 
tials, and  the  learned  Chevalier,  by  expunging  those 
features  in  which  they  differ,  has  restored  them 
nearly  to  their  original  shape,  and  exhibits  to  us  in 
their  renovated  form,  — 


178  THE   CATHOLIC. 

-    ■<" 

1st.  The  system  of  instraction. 

2d.  The  canons  of  church  government. 

3d.  The  order  of  worship.^ 

4th.  The  rules  for  private  life  in  the  primitive 
church. 

These  strengthen  our  argument  when  we  discover 
that  they  are  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  forms, 
worship,  and  canons  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  Let 
us,  then,  in  the  words  of  our  author,  "  Instead  of 
looking  to  mediaeval  forms,  and  to  the  enchanted 
gardens  of  Rome,  or  to  the  fanaticism  of  superstition 
for  our  canons,  glance  at  the  mirror  which  the  church 
book  and  house  book  of  the  apostolic  age  hold  up 
to  us.  We  see  in  them  the  Christian  school,  the 
Christian  worship,  and  the  Christian  life,  the  model 
of  every  thing  great  and  noble,  which  has  sprung  up 
in  renewed  youth  and  beauty  out  of  the  tomb  of  the 
old  world,  and  renovated  the  face  of  the  earth." 

"  Whoever,"  he  adds,  "  idolizes  the  letter  of  Byzan- 
tine Christianity,  and  the  system  of  mediaeval  divin- 
ity, breaks  with  the  church  of  the  apostles,  forfeits  the 
spirit  of  Christ,  and  falls  out  of  that  very  communion 
with  the  ancient  believers  which  he  pretends  to  cher- 
ish. Whoever  seeks  the  conservative  element  in  the 
restoration  of  sacerdotal  dominion  over  the  con- 
science, and  of  priest  rule  over  national  government, 
proposes  not  only  great  political  revolutions,  but  the 
entire  downfall  of  the  Hierarchy. 

"  Those  who  have  sown  superstition,  have  reaped 
and  are  reaping  unbelief,  and  those  who  have  sowed 
despotism,  have  reaped  anarchy." 

Let  us  examine,  then,  those  books  of  the  ancient 

'  For  these  books,  see  Appendix,  p.  193. 


THE   CATHOLIC.  179 

church,  and  see  if  we  can  find  in  them  those  features 
which  are  prominent  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  Let 
us  look  into  its  catechism  to  learn  if  he  who  joins 
it  is  to  swear  obedience  to  a  pope,  or  if  the  an- 
cient church  recognizes  any  supreme  or  infallible  pon- 
tiff. Let  us  inspect  the  ritual,  and  find  what  adora- 
tion is  prescribed  for  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  what  hom- 
age is  to  be  paid  to  saints,  statues,  or  images  ;  what 
waxen  candles  are  to  be  lighted,  and  what  incense  is 
to  be  burned,  or  holy  water  sprinkled.  Let  us  in- 
quire for  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  the  with- 
holding the  cup  from  the  people.  Let  us  criticize 
the  canons  of  the  church,  and  find  which  of  them 
confers  the  triple  crown  or  the  civic  sword  upon 
pope  or  bishop,  or  provides  for  the  celibacy  of  the 
clergy.  Let  us  study  the  rules  for  private  life,  and 
discover  which  of  them  empowers  the  Christian  to 
deceive,  to  calumniate,  or  to  kill. 

The  spirit  of  inquiry  is  dispersing  the  phantoms 
which  have  started  up  between  us  and  the  early 
fathers,  darkening  that  primitive  age,  and  we  can 
now  pierce  the  gloom,  place  ourselves  beside  them, 
and  test  the  bold  pretensions  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 

The  first  book  of  the  primitive  church,  restored  by 
Bunsen,  contains  the  whole  system  of  instruction. 
It  provides  that  candidates  for  admission  into  the 
church  shall  be  taught  for  three  years  the  "  Way 
of  Life,"  namely,  the  precepts  of  our  Saviour,  the 
truth  of  Holy  Writ,  with  purity,  meekness,  justice, 
and  charity,  and  before  baptism  they  shall  be  exam- 
ined to  learn  if  they  have  lived  in  purity,  visited 
the  sick,  and  performed  every  good  work. 

When  baptized,  they   shall    be   dipped  thrice  in 


180  THE   CATHOLIC. 

the  water,  after  renouncing  Satan  and  all  his  works, 
and  giving  their  assent  to  a  brief  creed,  in  which 
they  recognize  the  only  true  God,  his  Son,  our  Lord 
and  Saviour,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  who  was  cru- 
cified, and  died  for  our  redemption,  ascended  into 
heaven,  whence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  living 
and  the  dead;  and,  after  expressing  their  belief  in 
the  Holy  Spirit,  the  quickener  that  purifieth  the 
church,  they  were  then  to  be  anointed  with  oil, 
sealed  upon  the  forehead,  and  to  receive  the  commun- 
ion of  both  bread  and  wine,  and  become  members 
of  the  church. 

The  second  book,  restored  by  Bunsen,  contains 
the  canons  of  the  ancient  church. 

It  recognizes  the  several  offices  of  bishops,  presby- 
ters, readers,  deacons,  and  deaconesses,  and  defines 
their  duties,  qualifications,  and  appointment,  and 
permits  a  married  man  to  become  a  bishop. 

The  third  book  defines  the  order  and  formalities 
of  the  service  or  the  Christian  sacrifice  and  worship 
of  the  ancient  church. 

It  comprehends  the  liturgy  or  general  order  of 
the  service,  in  two  parts. 

1st.  A  preparatory  service  for  the  hearers  who 
have  not  yet  taken  the  pledge,  and  do  not  belong 
to  the  communion  of  the  believers :  —  A  psalm  or 
canticle ;  a  Christian  hymn ;  lessons  firom  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments ;  a  homily ;  dismissal  of  the 
hearers,  and  blessing. 

2d.  The  service  of  believers  :  —  the  oblation;  salu- 
tation ;  preface ;  prayers ;  communion  of  all  believ- 
ers present,  taken  both  in  the  bread  and  the  cup ; 
the  cherubic  hymn ;  a  psalm  fi-om  Isaiah ;  the  hymn 


THE   CATHOLIC.  181 

of  thanksgiving;  exhortations  and  admonitions  to 
the  congregation  ;  dismissal  and  blessing. 

And  few  early  manuscripts  of  the  liturgy  are  in 
the  Latin  language  so  uniformly  adopted  by  the 
Church  of  Rome. 

In  all  this  ritual  there  is  not  the  slightest  allu- 
sion to  the  pomp  and  ceremonies  of  the  Church  of 
Rome,  or  to  her  innovation  of  the  Mass. 

The  fourth  book,  restored  by  Bunsen,  contains  the 
rules  of  general  conduct  for  all  the  members  of  the 
congregation. 

This  enjoins  upon  members  to  fast  in  the  holy 
week ;  to  keep  the  Lord's  day  as  a  festival ;  regu- 
lates private  and  public  devotions,  the  allowance  of 
time  to  servants,  and  the  arrangement  of  funerals 
and  cemeteries.  It  particularly  enjoins,  also,  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures. 

The  last  work  revised  by  our  learned  author,  is 
the  law-book  of  the  ancient  church,  containing  the 
canons  of  the  apostles. 

These  define  the  rights  and  duties  of  bishops,  and 
the  offices  which  warrant  the  suspension  or  depriva- 
tion of  the  clergy.  They  determine  also  the  canoni- 
cal books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  the 
ecclesiastical  rules  and  canons.  This  book,  which 
forbids  the  clergy  to  embark  in  secular  affairs,  or 
to  put  aside  their  wives,  is  directly  at  variance  with 
the  practice  of  the  Jesuits  and  the  celibacy  of  the  Ro- 
man priesthood. 

These  holy  books  stand  out  in  bold  relief  against 
the  instruction,  worship,  and  canons  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  ;  but  this  is  not  their  only  value,  for  they  bring 
before  us  in  many  of  their   details,  the  instruction 

16 


182  THE  CATHOLIC. 

and  worship  of  our  Episcopal  church.  In  the  lapse 
of  time  it  has  doubtless  diverged  in  some  respects 
from  primitive  forms,  and  it  may  not  have  entirely 
removed  the  accretions  of  the  dark  ages,  but,  in  its 
form  of  government,  in  its  noble  liturgy,  in  its  full 
communion  and  established  forms,  it  preserves  the 
features  of  primitive  Christianity.  The  great  minis- 
ter of  Prussia,  himself  a  Lutheran,  speaks  of  our  lit- 
urgy as  dignified  throughout,  notices  the  English 
prayerbook  as  a  "  national  institution,"  and  pro- 
nounces it  the  most  important  of  all  Christian  ordi- 
nances since  the  Reformation.  "  It  was,"  he  tells  us, 
"  a  great  and  blessed  thought,  this  placing  in  the 
hands  of  a  Christian  nation,  a  book  impressing  evan- 
gelic truth,  not  by  abstract  theological  formalities, 
but  by  an  act  of  worship  and  edification,  and  in  lan- 
guage intelligible  to  the  congregation ;  such  a  book 
alone  was  capable  of  becoming  a  church  and  house 
book,  and  such  it  has  become.  It  is  in  itself  as  valu- 
able as  the  text-book  of  the  ancient  church,  the  frag- 
ments of  which  we  have  endeavored  to  restore,  and 
in  many  points  infinitely  superior."  While,  how- 
ever, he  bears  such  testimony  in  its  favor,  he  would 
have  it  further  improved.  He  would  have  it  more 
free,  and  to  breathe  more  faith  in  the  Christian  spirit, 
which  inspires  the  praying  or  teaching  speaker.  Let 
mc  conclude  this  letter  with  another  extract  from 
that  noble  writer,  who  appreciates  so  well  the  liturgy 
and  ordinances  of  our  church,  but  whose  views  of 
Christianity  are  not  bounded  by  any  forms  or  ritu- 
als, and  who  has  faith  in  human  progress.  To  use 
his  words :  — 

"  The  great  work  of  Christianity  is  not  a  Hierarchy 


THE   CATHOLIC.  183 

with  her  rich  rituals  and  scholastic  art  and  conven- 
tional science  ;  its  mu*acle  is  the  world  in  which  we 
live.  It  is  the  individual  standing  before  his  God, 
with  his  Bible  and  his  self-responsible  conscience, 
whether  man  or  woman,  layman  or  clerk.  It  is  the 
Christian  household,  founded  on  mutual  trust.  It  is 
the  congregation,  with  its  own  shepherd  and  his  pat- 
tern household.  It  is  the  Christian  municipality, 
governing  itself  by  the  self-government  and  mutual 
confidence  which  are  its  members.  It  is  the  Chris- 
tian nation  and  State,  with  her  national  schools, 
based  upon  the  gospel  of  the  persecuted  church; 
with  her  universities  expanding  in  the  Christian  phi- 
losophy founded  by  the  martyrs ;  with  her  national 
hospitals,  grown  out-  of  the  nurseries  of  the  deacon- 
esses of  old ;  and  with  her  poor-laws,  consecrating 
Christian  support  as  a  national  debt ;  finally,  with  her 
sovereignty  of  law,  and  with  her  religious  and  civil 
liberty,  advancing  by  reform,  and  not  by  revolution. 
Where  that  work  and  that  faith  in  its  divine  power 
live,  there  is  apostolicity,  and  there  is  the  futm-e  of  the 
world." 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


LETTER    XXI. 

Boston,  November  20,  1855. 

I  CANNOT  close  this  correspondence  without  recur- 
ring to  the  letter,  in  which  you  advanced  the  propo- 
sition that  "  the  Church  of  Rome  is  the  only  Catholic 
church ;  the  only  apostolic  and  primitive  church  ;  the 
only  church  which  has  preserved  its  unity  ;  the  only 
church  which  has  not  varied  one  iota  in  its  faith  from 
the  time  of  the  apostles."  And  to  the  subsequent 
proposition,  sent  to  you  by  a  Roman  Catholic  bishop, 
substantially  as  follows,  namely :  "  That  our  Saviour 
must  have  established  a  church  sufficient  to  perpetu- 
ate his  religion,  and  consequently  that  system  must 
be  false  which  assumes  the  insufficiency  of  his 
church," 

I  felt  it  my  duty  to  refute  your  first  proposition, 
before  I  dealt  with  the  last.  For  if  I  could  prove 
that  the  Church  of  Rome  was  neither  universal,  apos- 
tolic, or  primitive,  that  it  had  not  preserved  its  unity, 
and  had  swerved  from  its  original  faith  and  worship, 
I  could  restate  the  bishop's  proposition,  and  safely 
ask  you  to  infer  that  our  Saviour  would  never  em- 
])loy  a  church  to  perpetuate  his  religion  which  was 
ni!ither  primitive,  catholic,  apostolic,  or  united.  And 
til  at  consequently  the  Church  of  Rome  is  not  the  true 
church  of  our  Saviour. 

The  proposition  of  the  bishop,  however,  deserves 

(184) 


THE   CATHOLIC.  185 

a  few  comments.  It  is  clearly  unsound,  but  is  a  fair 
specimen  of  the  casuistry  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
It  assumes,  for  instance,  the  purpose  and  action  of  our 
Saviom",  an  assumption  manifestly  unsafe,  since  they 
are  beyond  the  scope  of  human  vision.  It  assumes 
that  our  Saviour  intrusted  his  religion  to  an  associa- 
tion of  frail,  perishing  men,  assembled  to  worship  the 
deity,  instead  of  selecting  his  chosen  apostles  to  make 
the  record  and  transmit  that  record  to  posterity.  It 
assumes  that  mortal  men  are  more  competent  than 
records,  or  Holy  Writ  itself,  to  perpetuate  religion. 
It  assumes,  finally,  without  proof,  that  the  Church  of 
Rome  is  the  Primitive  Catholic  Church  established 
by  our  Saviour. 

The  Scriptures,  and  the  history  of  religion,  prove 
the  frailty  of  men  in  every  age.  The  Jews,  the  chos- 
en people  of  God,  were  faithless  to  the  Deity,  and 
bowed  down  before  idols  and  strange  gods.  Even  sov- 
ereign pontiffs  have  been  proved  to  be  apostates  and 
libertines.  The  Church  of  Rome  itself  has  been 
shown  to  be  a  different  church  from  the  church  of 
our  Saviour.  The  proposition,  consequently,  falls 
beneath  the  weight  of  its  own  assumptions.  I  will 
detain  you  no  further  with  such  fallacies  as  this,  but 
recur  to  our  testimony. 

I  have  arrayed  before  you  masses  of  evidence,  to 
test  the  pretensions  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  that 
evidence  is  nearly  all  Catholic.  It  comes  principally 
from  the  saints  that  Rome  has  canonized.  Let  us 
apply  that  evidence  to  the  claims  you  present,  and 
ask  an  impartial  verdict.  And  let  us  be  guided  in 
the  application  by  the  rule  of  TertuUian  already 
cited,  namely :  "  That  only  is  authentic  and  genuine 
16* 


186  THE   CATHOLIC. 

which  was  first  delivered,  while  that  is  false  and  ex* 
traneous  which  was  last  introduced." 

Is,  then,  the  Church  of  Rome  the  universal  Catho- 
lic Church  ?  Has  it  pervaded  the  world  ?  Does  it 
pervade  Asia,  Africa,  and  Northern  Europe,  or  the  an- 
cient seats  of  Christianity,  where  it  wore  its  primitive 
garb,  so  different  from  the  vesture  of  modern  Rome  ? 

Our  evidence  gives  to  this  an  emphatic  negative. 
Asia  and  Africa  have  either  been  subdued  by  Ma- 
homet, relapsed  into  heathenism,  or,  if  the  light  of  the 
gospel  shines  upon  them  at  all,  it  is  either  through 
the  Greek  Church  or  the  Protestant  missionaries, 
who  are  colonizing  the  coasts  of  India,  Asia  Minor, 
China,  and  Africa. 

The  protestant  faith  pervades  the  North,  and  it  is 
the  protestant  faith  which  is  now  pervading  the  world. 
The  Anglo-Saxon  race,  which  sustained  the  great 
reformation  of  Luther,  that  race  of  northern  Europe, 
which,  in  union  with  the  Swede,  met  and  resisted 
the  tide  of  counter  reformation,  and  repelled  the  In- 
quisition and  the  Jesuit  from  its  shores,  is  now  in  the 
ascendant.  The  Anglo-Saxon  race,  numbering  less 
than  six  millions  of  protestants  in  the  days  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  now  comprise  at  least  fifty-seven  mill- 
ions of  protestants  in  Europe,  Australia,  and  Amer- 
ica, and  in  half  a  century  bid  fair  to  treble  their  num- 
"bers.  While  the  nations  subject  to  the  influence  of 
Rome,  namely,  Spain,  France,  Austria,  Italy,  and  Por- 
tugal, are  comparatively  stationary,  or  receding,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race,  trebling  their  numbers  in  each 
half  century,  possess  ten  million  tons  of  shipping,  or 
four  fifths  the  ships  of  the  globe,  control  the  com- 
merce of  the  earth,  and  are  diffusing  their  language, 


THE   CATHOLIC.  187 

their  arts,  their  power,  and  their  religion  through  the 
world.  They  are  found  alike  beneath  the  torrid  zone 
and  on  the  shores  of  polar  seas. 

They  are  civilizing  and  reclaiming  the  wilderness 
in  America  and  Australia,  and  already  stand  at  the 
doors  of  China  and  Japan. 

Unless  the  Church  of  Rome  can  arrest  their  pro- 
gress, the  protestant  faith  will  pervade  the  world. 
As  the  religion  of  our  Saviour  followed  the  language 
and  commerce  of  Greece  through  the  civilized 
world,  thus  in  modern  days  the  protestant  faith 
follows  the  path  of  the  Anglo-Saxon,  wherever  his 
sails  whiten  the  ocean. 

The  Church  of  Rome  neither  has  been,  is,  or  will 
be  universal  ;  it  cannot,  therefore,  be  the  catholic 
church. 

But  if  it  is  not  catholic,  how  far  is  it  primitive  ? 

We  find  in  the  records  of  the  primitive  church 
which  we  have  recovered,  conclusive  proof  that  the 
Scriptures,  and  the  bread  and  the  wine,  were  accessi- 
ble to  the  laity.  We  look  in  vain  in  these  records, 
and  in  the  writings  of  the  earliest  saints,  for  the 
worship  of  virgins  or  saints,  statues  or  pictures ;  for 
sacred  groves  and  oratories ;  for  shrines,  relics,  or  ro- 
saries ;  for  processions,  candles,  or  holy  water ;  for 
tiaras,  crosiers,  or  triple  crowns  ;  for  inquisitors,  tor- 
tures, or  autos  da  fe.  If  the  Church  of  Rome,  as 
we  have  proved,  has  sanctioned  these  innovations, 
do  they  not  disprove  its  claim  to  be  the  primitive 
church  ? 

And  can  that  church  be  apostolic  which  clothes 
its  bishops  with  secular  power,  which  associates  with 
itself  the  Jesuit  or  the  Inquisitor,  which  sends  forth 


188  THE   CATHOLIC. 

the  one  to  close  the  Bible  to  the  laity,  to  distribute 
tracts  in  honor  of  the  Virgin,  to  ascribe  supremacy 
and  infallibility  to  the  pope,  to  grant  indulgences 
to  vice,  to  proclaim  the  startling  doctrine  that  the 
end  sanctions  the  means,  to  urge  that  it  is  lawful  to 
kUl  or  depose  monarchs  who  exalt  the  Scriptures 
above  the  pope,  or  to  bear  false  witness  against 
their  neighbors ;  and  which  has  sent  forth  the  other 
to  stifle  free  inquiry,  to  forbid  the  exercise  of  private 
judgment,  to  prohibit  reform,  and  to  doom  men, 
women,  and  children  to  the  dungeon  and  the  stake, 
or  to  a  fate  still  more  appalling,  without  allow- 
ing them  the  privilege  of  meeting  their  accusers  face 
to  face  in  fair  and  open  trial  ? 

Can  such  a  church  be  apostolic? 

The  gospels,  the  epistles,  the  acts  of  the  apostles, 
the  earliest  records  of  the  church,  sanction  no  such 
mission,  but  present  one  directly  antagonistic. 

The  Church  of  Rome  is  by  the  proof  not  apos- 
tolic. Has  she,  then,  been  always  united,  and  has 
she  never  swerved  from  the  faith  since  the  days  of 
the  apostles  ?  Let  us  try  her  by  the  evidence.  We 
find  her  at  one  period  denying  the  real  presence  by 
the  mouth  of  her  sovereign  pontiff,  at  another  maldng 
transubstantiation,  or  the  real  presence,  an  article  of 
faith ;  at  one  time  she  sanctions  the  Arian,  at  another 
the  Athanasian  creed. 

At  one  epoch  she  canonizes  the  Calvinistic  Au- 
gustine, at  another  denounces  Luther  and  Calvin. 
At  one  time  she  recognizes  neither  purgatory,  mo- 
nasticism,  the  mass,  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy,  in- 
cense, holy  water,  homage  to  images,  or  the  worship 
of  the  Virgin,  or  oaths  of  obedience  to  the  pope; 


THE   CATHOLIC.  189 

at  others,  she  insists  upon  each  one  of  them  as  es- 
sential. 

Estranging  herself  alike  in  garb,  insignia,  worship, 
and  faith  from  the  ancient  church,  the  Greek  church, 
the  Maronites,  Nestorians,  and  Protestants,  she  claims 
she  has  been  ever  united. 

The  proof  fails  to  establish  either  unity,  or  unfal- 
tering fidelity  to  her  faith. 

May  we  not  then  infer,  as  a  necessary  consequence, 
that  an  omniscient  Deity  would  not  select  a  church 
to  perpetuate  his  religion,  which  is  neither  primitive, 
catholic,  apostolic,  or  united,  or  true  to  its  original 
faith  ? 

It  is  doubtless  unsafe  for  frail  man  to  argue  upon 
the  intentions  of  the  Deity  ;  but,  so  far  as  evidence 
exists  of  those  intentions,  it  is  subversive  of  the 
claims  of  Rome. 

Far  be  it  from  me,  in  these  letters,  to  proceed  one 
tittle  beyond  the  evidence  necessary  to  try  the  ex- 
clusive claims  and  pretensions  of  the  Church  of 
Rome.  While  I  deplore  her  departure  from  the 
primitive  church,  I  would  cheerfully  accord  to  her 
members  the  right  to  differ  from  our  church,  and 
full  freedom  to  worship  according  to  the  dictates 
of  their  consciences.  I  would  concede,  too,  the  piety 
and  moral  excellence  of  many  of  her  members, 
who  have  yielded  up  their  judgment  to  the  Chiu*ch 
of  Rome. 

Erasmus,  Bossuet,  Fenelon,  Cheverus,  are  names  I 
delight  to  honor.  I  can  bear  personal  testimony, 
also,  to  the  devotion  and  piety  of  inmates  of  con- 
vents, to  the  bounteous  charities  and  religious  feelings 
of  many  pious  Roman   Catholics ;    but  when  their 


190  THE   CATHOLIC. 

church  is  presented  as  the  only  primitive  Catholic 
church,  the  sole  depository  and  exponent  of  the  gos- 
pel, out  of  whose  pale  there  is  no  salvation ;  when 
the  Jesuit  seeks  to  control  our  education,  and  to 
bend  towards  Rome  the  ductile  minds  of  the  young ; 
when  vast  power,  influence,  and  possessions  are  ac- 
cumulating in  the  hands  of  bishops,  to  be  wielded 
by  the  pope  or  Jesuits  of  Rome ;  when  our  private 
circles  are  invaded  in  the  search  for  proselyies,  it 
seems  to  me  time  to  question  the  pretensions  of 
Rome. 

True  it  is,  that  our  census  proves  that  the  Roman 
Catholics  were,  in  1850,  less  than  one  twentieth 
part  of  the  worshippers  in  our  favored  land.  True  it 
is  that  the  foreigners,  as  they  mingle  with  our  Protes- 
tants, gradually  modify  their  opinions,  and  begin  to 
exercise  the  right  of  private  judgment,  that  privilege 
so  dear  to  the  Anglo-Saxon ;  but  still  we  must  re- 
member that  vast  masses  of  Roman  Catholics  annu.- 
ally  land  upon  our  shores,  cluster  around  the  cities 
and  villages  of  the  northern  States,  and  form  a  large 
and  growing  element  in  our  population ;  that  they 
have  been  reared  in  blind  submission  to  their  priests, 
and  debarred  in  most  cases  from  education,  by  an  un- 
wise and  oppressive  government  at  home ;  arid  that 
it  is  the  mission  of  our  country  in  the  present  century 
to  refine  and  civilize  these  exiles  from  Europe. 

Let  it  also  be  her  mission  at  the  same  time,  to  guard 
our  institutions  from  deterioration.  While  our  coun- 
try performs  its  Christian  office  of  kindness  and  phi- 
lanthropy, there  are  duties  which  it  owes  to  itself,  — 
to  illumine  and  elevate  the  masses  who  are  to  rule  its 
destinies ;  to  deny  access  to  the  ballot-box,  until  the 


THE   CATHOLIC.  191 

voter  has  at  least  learned  to  read  and  to  write,  has 
familiarized  himself  with  our  institutions,  and  knows 
how  to  appreciate  their  value. 

The  voters  are  our  rulers,  and  those  rulers  must 
be  enlightened,  if  we  would  preserve  our  liberties. 
It  is  the  duty,  too,  of  our  country  to  allow  no  ac- 
cumulation of  ^ power  in  the  hands  of  individuals 
responsible  only  to  a  foreign  potentate.  Why  should 
a  bishop  of  New  England  be  permitted  to  withdraw 
more  than  fifty  churches  from  the  humble  artisan 
or  menial  who  built  them,  and  hand  them  down  in 
rigid  mortmain  to  his  successors  ?  Why  should  he 
be  allowed  the  privilege  of  closing  the  doors  of  such 
churches  on  the  societies  who  built  them  ?  Is  his 
power  to  accumulate  to  know  no  limit  to  its  ex- 
pansion, and  no  restraint  upon  its  exercise,  except 
the  pleasure  of  a  foreign  potentate  ? 

If  laws  against  mortmain  were  necessary  in  the 
fourth  century,  in  the  days  of  Damasus,  who  had  no 
army  of  Jesuits  to  execute  his  plans,  may  they  not 
be  necessary  when  we  see  that  order  invading  our 
shores,  aiming  as  of  yore  to  control  the  education 
both  of  rich  and  poor,  and  to  attract  the  public 
mind  by  stately  churches  and  cathedrals,  by  supe- 
rior music  and  imposing  ceremonies? 

Why  should  not  the  civil  law  secure  to  each  so- 
ciety their  church,  the  choice  of  their  clergyman,  and 
the  power  to  modify  their  opinions  with  the  progress 
of  light,  without  the  forfeiture  of  their  property? 
Again  ;  if  nunneries  or  convents  have  no  sanction  in 
Scripture,  and  have  in  the  history  of  Europe  proved 
adverse  to  the  progress  of  nations  in  virtue,  knowl- 
edge, and  power,  why  should  not  the  law  discounte- 


192  THE  CATHOLIC. 

nance  their  erection,  and  refuse  its  sanction  to  all 
vows  and  contracts  for  celibacy  and  seclusion  ? 

While  I  would  protect  convents  and  nunneries 
from  lawless  violence,  scrupulously  guard  the  rights 
of  property,  defend  all  institutions  for  learning,  and 
respect  the  Roman  Catholic  hospital,  infirmary,  and 
asylum ;  while  I  would  contend  for  the  utmost  liberty 
of  all  denominations  of  Christians  to  worship  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences,  I  conceive 
it  to  be  the  most  sacred  duty  of  our  country  to  watch 
with  jealous  care  our  public  schools  and  seminaries, 
sustained  by  public  funds,  and  prevent  their  perver- 
sion, or  the  application  of  these  funds,  or  any  part  of 
them,  to  institutions  sectarian  in  their  character. 
With  respect  to  religion,  as  well  as  withv  respect  to 
politics,  the  price  of  freedom  must  be  perpetual  vigi- 
lance. 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately. 


APPENDIX. 


CHURCH    BOOKS    OF    THE    APOSTOLIC    CHURCH, 
AS  RESTORED  BY  BUNSEN. 

BOOK   I. 

I.  How  they  who  require  to  he  instructed  are  to  he  examined 
before  they  are  admitted. 

Those  that  first  come  to  the  mystery  of  godliness,  let 
them  be  brought  to  the  bishop,  or  to  the  presbyters,  [by  the 
deacons,]  and  let  them  be  examined  as  to  the  causes  where- 
fore they  come  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord :  and  let  those 
who  bring  them  exactly  inquire  about  their  character, 
and  give  them  their  testimony.  Let  their  manners  and  their 
life  be  inquired  into ;  and  whether  they  be  slaves  or  free- 
men :  and  if  any  one  be  a  slave,  let  him  be  asked  who  is  his 
master.  If  he  be  a  slave  to  one  of  the  believers,  let  his 
master  be  asked  if  he  can  give  him  a  good  character.  If 
he  cannot,  let  him  be  rejected  until  he  show  himself 
to  be  worthy  to  his  master :  but  if  he  does  give  him  a 
good  character,  let  him  be  admitted.  But  if  he  be  a  slave 
to  a  heathen,  let  him  be  taught  to  please  his  master,  that 
the  word  be  not  blasphemed.  If  then  he  have  a  wife,  or 
a  woman  hath  a  husband,  let  them  be  taught  to  be  con- 
tent with  each  other,  and  to  live  soberly ;  but  if  they  be 
unmarried,  let  them  learn  not    to  commit  fornication,  but 

17  (198) 


194  THE  CATHOLIC. 

to  enter  into  lawful  marriage ;  but  if  his  master  be  one 
of  the  faithful,  and  knows  that  he  is  guilty  of  fornication, 
and  yet  does  not  give  him  a  wife,  or  to  the  woman  an 
husband,  let  him  be  separated. 

But  if  any  hath  a  demon,  let  him  be  taught  godli- 
ness, but  not  received  into  communion  before  he  be  cleansed ; 
yet  if  death  be  near,  let  him  be  received. 

If  any  one  be  a  maintainer  of  harlots,  let  him  either  leave 
off  to  prostitute  women,  or  else  let  him  be  rejected. 

If  a  whore  come,  let  her  leave  off  her  whoredom,  or 
else  let  her  be  rejected. 

If  a  maker  of  idols  come,  let  him  either  leave  off  his 
employment,  or  let  him  be  rejected. 

If  one  belonging  to  the  theatre  come,  whether  it  be  man 
or  woman,  or  a  charioteer,  or  a  fighter  in  single  combat, 
or  a  racer,  or  an  exhibitor  of  a  show  of  gladiators,  or  an 
'  Olympic  gamester,  or  one  that  plays  on  the  flute  or  on 
the  lute  at  these  games,  or  a  dancing-master,  or  a  keeper 
of  a  public-house,  either  let  them  leave  off  their  employ- 
ments, or  let  them  be  rejected. 

If  a  soldier  come,  let  him  be  taught  to  do  no  injustice, 
to  accuse  no  man  falsely,  and  to  be  content  with  his  al- 
lotted stipend ;  if  he  submit  to  these  rules,  let  him  be  re- 
ceived, but  if  he  refuse  them,  let  him  be  rejected. 

He  that  is  guilty  of  sins  not  to  be  named,  a  sodomite, 
an  effeminate  person,  a  magician,  an  enchanter,  an  astrol- 
oger, a  diviner,  an  user  of  magic  verses,  a  juggler,  a 
mountebank,  one  that  makes  amulets,  a  charmer,  a  sooth- 
sayer, a  fortune-teller,  an  observer  of  palmistry,  he  that 
when  he  meets  you  observes  defects  in  the  eyes  or  feet 
of  the  birds,  or  cats,  or  noises,  or  symbolical  sounds ;  let 
these  be  proved  for  some  time,  for  this  sort  of  wicked- 
ness is  hard  to  be  washed  away;  and  if  they  leave  off 
those  practices,  let  them  be  received,  but  if  they  will  not 
agree  to  that,  let  them  be  rejected. 


APPENDIX.  195 

Let  a  concubine,  who  is  servant  to  an  unbeliever,  and 
confines  herself  to  her  master  alone,  be  received ;  but  if 
she  be  incontinent  with  others,  let  her  be  rejected. 

If  one  of  the  believers  hath  a  concubine,  if  she  be  a 
bondservant,  let  him  leave  off  that  way,  and  contract  a 
legal  matrimony;  if  she  be  a  free-woman,  let  him  marry 
her  in  a  lawful  manner  ;  if  he  doth  not,  let  him  be  re- 
jected ;  if  she  liveth  with  a  believing  servant,  let  her  leave 
off,  or  be  rejected. 

He  that  followeth  the  Gentile  customs  or  Jewish  fables, 
either  let  him  reform,  or  let  him  bjp  rejected. 

If  any  one  followeth  the  sports  of  the  theatre,  their 
huntings,  or  horse-races,  or  combats,  either  let  him  leave 
them  off,  or  let  him  be  rejected.^ 

If  we  have  omitted  any  thing,  the  circumstances  wiU 
teach  you,  for  we  have  all  the  Spirit  of  God.^ 

II.    How  they  who  are  admitted  are  instructed. 

He  who  is  to  be  catechized,  let  him  be  catechized  three 
years ;  but  if  any  one  be  diligent,  and  has  a  good  will  to 
his  business,  let  him  be  admitted ;  for  it  is  not  the  length 
of  time,  but  the  course  of  life  that  is  judged.^ 

He  that  teacheth,  although  he  be  one  of  the  laity,  yet 
if  he  be  skilful  in  the  word,  and  grave  in  his  manners,  let 
him  teach  ;  for  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God.^ 

1  Greek  Constitut.  Book  VIII.  Compare  Copt.  Can.,  Book  III. 
can.  4. 

2  Copt.  Can.,  conclusion  of  can.  41. 

8  Greek  Const.,  Book  VIII. ;  Copt.  Can.  II.  42. 
*  Greek  Const.,  Book  VIII. 


196  THE   CATHOLIC. 

in.  The  Moral  Catechism,  or  the  Doctrine  of  the  Two 
Ways. 

There  are  two  ways,  one  is  the  way  of  life,  and  the 
other  is  the  way  of  death  :  and  there  is  much  difference  in 
these  two  ways.  But  the  way  of  life  is.  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  who  created  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  glorify  Him  who  redeemed  thee  from  death ; 
for  this  is  the  first  commandment. 

But  the  second  is.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self. On  these  two  commandments  hang  the  law  and  the 
prophets. 

Every  thing  that  thou  wouldest  not  should  be  done  to 
thee,  that  do  not  thou  also  to  another ;  that  is,  what  thou 
hatest,  do  not  to  another. 

Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery ; 
thou  shalt  not  commit  fornication ;  thou  shalt  not  pollute 
a  youth ;  thou  shalt  not  steal ;  thou  shalt  not  be  a  sor- 
cerer ;  thou  shalt  not  use  divination ;  thou  shalt  not  cause 
a  woman  to  miscarry,  neither  if  she  has  brought  forth  a 
a  cliild  shalt  thou  kill  it ;  thou  shalt  not  covet  any  thing 
that  is  thy  neighbor's ;  thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness ; 
thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  of  any  one,  neither  shalt  thou 
think  evil ;  thou  shalt  not  be  double-minded,  neither  shalt 
thou  be  double-tongued,  for  a  double  tongue  is  a  snare  of 
death  ;  thy  speech  shall  not  be  vain,  neither  tending  to  a 
lie ;  thou  shalt  not  be  covetous,  neither  rapacious,  nor  an 
hypocrite,  nor  of  an  evil  heart,  nor  pi'oud ;  thou  shalt  not 
ppeak  an  evil  word  against  thy  neighbor ;  thou  shalt  not 
hate  any  man,  but  thou  shalt  reprove  some,  and  shalt 
have  mercy  upon  others ;  thou  shalt  pray  for  some,  and 
shalt  love  others  as  thy  own  soul. 

My  son,  flee  from  all  evil,  and  hate  all  evil.  Be  not 
angry,  because  anger   leads  to  murder ;   for  anger  is   an 


APPENDIX.  197 

evil  demon.  Be  not  emulous,  neither  be  contentious  nor 
quarrelsome,  for  envy  proceeds  from  these. 

Mj  son,  be  not  of  unlawful  desires,  because  desire 
leadeth  to  fornication,  drawing  men  to  it  involuntarily ; 
for  lust  is  a  demon.  For  if  the  evil  spirit  of  anger  is 
united  with  that  of  lust,  they  destroy  those  who  shall  re- 
ceive them.  And  the  w^ay  of  the  evil  spirit  is  the  sin  of 
the  soul.  For  when  he  spyeth  a  little  way,  quietly  en- 
tering in  he  will  make  the  way  broad  ;  and  he  will  take 
with  him  all  other  evil  spirits  ;  he  will  go  to  that  soul,  and 
will  not  leave  the  man  to  meditate  at  all,  lest  he  should 
see  the  truth.  Let  a  restraint  be  put  upon  your  anger, 
and  curb  it  with  not  a  little  care,  that  you  may  cast  it 
behind  you,  lest  it  should  precipitate  you  into  some  evil 
deed.  For  wrath  and  evil  desire,  if  they  be  suffered  al- 
ways to  remain,  are  demons.  And  when  they  have  do- 
minion over  a  man,  they  change  him  in  soul,  that  he 
may  be  prepared  for  a  great  deed :  and  when  they  have 
led  him  into  unrighteous  acts,  they  deride  him,  and  will 
rejoice  in  the  destruction  of  that  man. 

My  son,  be  not  the  utterer  of  an  evil  expi'cssion,  nor  of 
obscenity,  neither  be  thou  haughty,  for  of  these  things 
come  adulteries. 

My  son,  be  not  a  diviner,  for  divination  leadeth  to  idol- 
atry ;  neither  be  thou  an  enchanter,  nor  an  astrologer,  nor 
a  magician,  nor  an  idolater ;  neither  teach  them,  nor  hear 
them ;  for  from  these  things  proceedeth  idolatry. 

My  son,  be  not  a  liar,  because  a  falsehood  leadeth  to 
blasphemy.  Neither  be  thou  a  lover  of  silver,  nor  a  lover 
of  vainglory,  for  from  these  thefts  arise. 

My  son,  be  not  a  murmurer,  because  repining  leadeth 
a  man  to  blasphemy.  Be  thou  not  harsh,  nor  a  thinker 
of  evil,  for  of  all  these  things  contentions  are  begotten. 
But  be  thou  meek,  for  the  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth. 
And  be  thou  also  merciful,  peaceable,  compassionate,  cleansed 
17* 


198  THE   CATHOLIC. 

in  thy  heart  from  all  evil.  Be  thou  sincere,  gentle,  good ; 
trembling  at  the  words  of  God,  which  thou  hast  heard, 
and  do  thou  keep  them.  Do  not  exalt  thyself,  neither 
shalt  thou  give  thy  heart  to  pride,  but  thou  shalt  increase 
more  and  more  with  the  just  and  humble.  Every  evil 
which  cometh  upon  thee  receive  as  good,  knowing  that 
nothing  shall  come  upon  thee  but  from  God. 

My  son,  he  who  declareth  to  thee  the  word  of  God,  and 
hath  been  the  cause  of  life  to  thee,  and  hath  given  to 
thee  the  holy  seal  which  is  in  the  Lord,  thou  shalt  love 
him  as  the  apple  of  thine  eyes,  and  remember  him  by  night 
and  day  :  thou  shalt  honor  him  as  of  the  Lord :  for  in  that 
place  in  which  the  word  of  power  is,  there  is  the  Lord; 
and  thou  shalt  seek  his  face  daily,  him,  and  those  who 
remain  of  the  saints,  that  thou  mayest  rest  thee  on  their 
words  :  for  he  who  is  united  to  the  saints  shall  be  holy. 

Thou  shalt  honor  him  according  to  thy  power,  by  the 
sweat  of  thy  brow,  and  by  the  labor  of  thy  hands :  for  if 
the  Lord  hath  made  thee  meet  that  he  might  impart  to 
thee  spiritual  food,  and  spiritual  drink,  and  eternal  life, 
by  him ;  it  becometh  thee  also  the  more,  that  thou  should- 
est  impart  to  him  the  food  which  perisheth  and  is  tem- 
poral ;  for  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  For  it  is 
written :  Thou  shalt  not  muzzle  the  ox  that  treadeth  out 
the  com ;  neither  doth  any  one  plant  a  vineyard  and  not 
eat  of  the  fruit  thereof. 

Thou  shalt  not  cause  schisms :  thou  shalt  reconcile  in 
peace  those  who  contend  with  one  another.  Judge  in 
righteousness,  without  acceptation  of  persons.  Reprove 
him  who  hath  sinned,  for  his  sin.  Suffer  not  wealth  to 
prevail  before  God,  neither  justify  the  unworthy,  for 
beauty  profiteth  not ;  but  righteous  judgment  before  all. 
Doubt  not  in  thy  prayer,  thinking  whether  what  thou  hast 
asked  of  Him  will  be  or  not.  Let  it  not,  indeed,  be, 
that  when  thou  receivest   thou    stretchest  out  thine  hand, 


APPENDIX.  199 

but  when  thou  shouldest  give  thou  drawest  thy  hand  to 
thee.  But  if  thou  hast  at  hand,  thou  shalt  give  for  the 
redemption  of  thy  sins.  Thou  shalt  not  doubt,  thou  shalt 
give  ;  neither  when  thou  hast  given  shalt  thou  murmur, 
knowing  there  is  a  reward  of  God.  Thou  shalt  not  turn 
away  from  the  needy,  but  shalt  communicate  with  the 
needy  in  all  things :  thou  shalt  not  say,  these  things  are 
mine  alone.  If  ye  communicate  with  one  another  in 
those  things  which  are  incorruptible,  how  much  rather 
should  ye  not  do  it  in  those  things  which  are  corruptible  ? 

I  beseech  you,  my  brethren,  while  you  have  time,  and 
he  who  asketh  remains  with  you,  if  you  are  able  to  do  good 
to  them,  do  not  fail  in  any  thing  to  any  one,  which  you  have 
the  power  to  do. 

For  the  day  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh,  in  which  every 
thing  that  is  seen  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  wicked  shall 
be  destroyed  with  it ;  for  the  Lord  cometh,  and  his  reward 
is  with  him. 

Be  ye  lawgivers  to  your  own  selves ;  be  ye  teachers  to 
yourselves  alone,  as  God  hath  taught  you.  Thou  shalt 
keep  those  things  which  thou  hast  received ;  thou  shalt  not 
take  from  them,  neither  shalt  thou  add  to  them.^ 


IV.  How,  after  the  Jirst  course  of  instruction,  the  Catechu- 
mens undergo  an  examination,  and  their  conduct  is 
investigated  before  they  are  admitted  to  hear  the  gospel, 
and  how  long  their  instruction  is  to  last. 

When  they  have  chosen  those  appointed  to  receive  bap- 
tism, let  their  life  be  inquired  into,  whether  they  have  lived 
in  chastity  during  the  time  of  being  catechumens :  whether 
they  have  honored  the  widows ;  whether  they  have  visited 
the  sick;  whether  they  have   fulfilled   every   good   work. 

^  Introduction  to  the  Coptic  Canons,  Book  I. 


200  THE  CATHOLIC. 

And  if  those  who  have  introduced  them  have  witnessed  to 
them  that  they  have  done  thus,  let  them  hear  the  gospel. 
Let  the  catechumens  be  three  years  hearing  the  words  ;  but 
if  one  hath  been  diligent  and  persevereth  well  in  the  work, 
the  time  shall  not  decide,  but  the  application  alone  shall  en- 
tirely decide  it.^ 


V.  How  they  are  dismissed  with  a  Blessing  after  the 
Sermon. 

When  the  teacher  hath  ended  the  sermon,  let  the  cate- 
chumens pray  by  themselves  apart,  and  the  faithful  apart. 
And  let  the  women  stand  praying  in  a  place  in  the  church, 
apart  by  themselves,  whether  the  faithful  women  or  the 
women  catechumens.  And  when  they  conclude  praying, 
let  them  not  give  the  salutation  (peace)  before  they  are 
pure. 

Let  the  believers  salute  one  another,  the  men  with  the 
men  alone,  and  the  women  with  the  women.  But  let  not  a 
man  salute  a  woman.  And  let  aU  the  women  not  cover 
their  heads  with  a  costly  veil,  but  with  a  fine  cloth  of  cotton 
alone,  for  this  is  their  veil. 

"When  the  teacher  after  the  prayer  shall  lay  his  hands 
upon  the  catechumens,  let  him  pray,  dismissing  them ; 
whetlicr  he  be  an  ecclesiastic  or  a  layman  who  delivereth  it, 
let  him  do  so.'' 


VI.    The  ancient  prayers  of  the  Church  of  Antioch  for  the 
Catechumens,  as  recorded  by  St.  Chrysostom. 

( The  Catechumens  j>i'ay  silently,  the  congregation  standeth.) 

Let  us  pray  earnestly  for  the  catechumens,  that  the  all- 
loving  and  all-merciful  God  may  hear  their  prayer :  that  He 

1  Copt.  Can.  b.  11.  45»,  42.  ^  Cgpt.  Can.  b.  II.  43,  44. 


APPENDIX.  201 

may  open  the  ears  of  their  hearts,  in  order  that  they  may 
perceive  what  no  eye  hath  seen,  no  ear  hath  heard,  and 
what  is  not  come  into  the  heart  of  any  one :  ^  that  he  may 
teach  them  the  word  of  truth,  and  that  he  may  sow  in  their 
hearts  the  seed  of  the  fear  of  God :  that  he  may  strengthen 
the  faith  in  their  hearts :  that  he  may  reveal  to  them  the 
gospel  of  righteousness  :  that  He  may  give  them  a  godlike 
mind,  pure  thoughts,  and  a  virtuous  life  always  to  think 
what  is  of  God,  to  meditate  what  is  of  God,  to  care  for  what 
is  of  God. 

Let  us  pray  still  more  earnestly  for  them :  that  He  may 
preserve  them  from  every  evil  and  wicked  deed,  from  every 
devilish  sin,  and  from  every  deceit  of  the  enemy :  that  He 
may  make  them  vrorthy,  at  due  time,  of  the  laver  of  regenera- 
tion, and  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins :  that  He  may  bless  their 
going  in  and  their  going  out,  their  whole  life,  their  houses, 
and  their  families :  that  He  may  increase  and  bless  their 
children,  that  He  may  bring  them  to  the  right  age,  and  make 
them  wise :  that  He  'may  thus  direct  all  which  they  propose 
to  do,  as  may  be  most  expedient  for  them. 

The  Deacon  to  the  Catechumens :  — 

Eise ! 

Address  to  the  standing  Catechumens :  — 

Pray  for  the  angel  of  peace,  ye  catechumens,  that  what 
you  propose  may  be  fulfilled  in  peace. 

Pray  that  this  day  and  all  the  days  of  your  life  may  be 
peaceful,  and  that  your  end  may  be  Christian. 

Recommend  yourselves  to  the  living  God  and  to  His 
Christ. 

Bend  your  heads. 

{ They  receive  the  blessing :  the  whole  congregation  saying :  Amen.)  ^ 

1  Cor.  ii.  9. 

"  St.  Chrysost.  2d  Homily  on  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 


202  THE  CATHOLIC. 


VII.  Thai  a  Catechunien  who  suffered  Death  for  the  Faith, 
hath  received  Baptism  in  his  blood. 

If  a  catechumen  has  been  apprehended  for  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  let  him  not  hesitate  to  give  the  testimony  ;  for  if 
they  have  taken  him  by  violence  that  they  may  kill  him,  he 
will  be  justified  and  receive  the  forgiveness  of  his  sins  ;  for 
he  will  have  received  baptism  in  his  own  blood.^ 


VIII.  How  after  the  Course  of  Instruction  has  terminated, 
those  Catechumens  who  are  to  he  admitted  are  sep- 
arated and  sealed  for  being  baptized  at  Easter. 

And  when  they  shall  be  separated,  let  them  lay  hands 
upon  them  on  that  day,  exorcising  them.  ■ 

And  when  the  day  approacheth  on  which  they  shall  be 
baptized,  let  the  bishop  exorcise  each  one  of  them,  that  he 
may  know  that  they  are  pure.  But  if  any  one  is  not  good, 
or  is  not  clean,  let  them  put  him  apart,  that  he  may  not  hear 
the  word  with  the  believers ;  for  it  is  not  possible  that  a 
stranger  can  ever  be  concealed.  Let  them  teach  those  ap- 
pointed for  baptism  that  they  should  wash  and  be  made 
free ;  that  they  should  be  made  so  on  the  fifth  Sabbath 
(namely,  on  the  Saturday  in  the  fifth  week  of  Lent,  the  Sat- 
urday before  Palm-Sunday). 

Let  tliem,  who  are  to  receive  baptism,  fast  on  the  prep- 
aration of  tlie  Sabbath  (Friday).  But  on  the  Sabbath, 
when  tliose  who  shall  receive  have  been  gathered  together 
in  one  place,  by  the  advice  of  the  bishop,  let  them  all  be 
commanded  to  pray  and  to  kneel ;  and  when  he  hath  laid 
hi?  hand  upon  them,  let  him  exorcise  every  strange  spirit 
to  flee  from  them,  and  not  to  return  into  them  from  that 
time.      And   when   he   hath   finished  exorcising,   let  him 

1  Copt.  Can.  b.  II.  44. 


APPENDIX.  203 

breathe  on  them  ;  and  when  he  hath  sealed  their  foreheads, 
and  their  ears,  and  the  opening  of  their  mouths,  let  him 
raise  them  up ;  and  let  them  watch  all  the  night,  reading  to 
them,  and  exhorting  them.  And  let  those  who  shall  receive 
baptism  not  take  any  thing  but  that  alone,  which  each  one 
shall  bring  in  for  the  thanksgiving ;  for  it  is  becoming 
him  who  is  worthy,  that  he  should  bring  in  his  offering  im- 
mediately.^ 

IX.    Hoio    the    water   is    to   he  prepared,  and  the  general 
■order  of  baptism. 

And  at  the  time  of  the  crowing  of  the  cock  let  tnem  first . 
pray  over  the  water.  Let  the  water  be  drawn  into  the 
font,  or  flow  into  it.  And  let  it  be  thus,  if  they  have  no 
scarcity.  But  if  there  be  a  scarcity,  let  them  pour  the 
♦\\'ater  which  shall  be  found  into  the  font ;  and  let  them  un- 
dress themselves,  and  the  young  shall  be  first  baptized. 
And  after  the  adult  men  have  been  baptized,  at  the  last 
the  women,  having  loosed  all  their  hair,  and  having  laid 
aside  their  ornaments  of  gold  and  silver  which  were  on 
them.  Let  not  any  one  take  a  strange  garment  with  him 
into  the  water.^ 

X.  Hoio  the  oil  for  the  anointing  is  prepared. 

And  at  the  time  which  is  appointed  for  the  baptism  let 
the  bishop  give  thanks  over  the  oil,  which  putting  into  a 
vessel,  he  shall  call  the  oil  of  thanksgiving.  Again,  he 
shall  take  other  oil,  and  exorcising  over  it,  he  shall  call  it 
the  oil  of  exorcism.  And  a  deacon  shall  bear  the  oil  of 
exorcism,  and  stand  on  the  left  hand  of  the  presbyter. 
Another  deacon  shall  take  the  oil  of  thanksgiving,  and  stand 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  presbyter.^ 

1  Copt.  Can.  b.  II.  45b.  ^  Copt.  Can.  b.  II.  46. 

3  Copt.  Can.  b.  II.  46. 


204  THE  CATHOLIC. 

XI.  How  they  are  to  renounce  Satan  and  be  anointed: 
and  then  say  the  creed. 

And  when  the  presbyter  has  taken  hold  of  each  one  of 
those  who  are  about  to  receive  baptism,  let  him  conimand 
him  to  renounce,  saying :  "  I  will  renounce  thee,  Satan,  and 
all  thy  service,  and  all  thy  works."  And  when  he  has  re- 
nounced all  these,  let  him  anoint  him  with  the  oil  of  exor- 
cism, saying :  "  Let  every  spirit  depart  from  thee."  And 
let  the  bishop  or  the  presbyter  receive  him  thus  undressed, 
to  place  him  in  the  water  of  baptism.  Also  let  the  deacon 
go  with  him  into  the  water,  and  let  him  say  to  him,  helping 
him  that  he  may  say :  "  I  believe  in  the  only  true  God, 
the  Father  Almighty,  and  in  His  only  begotten  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
quickener."  i 

And  let  him  who  receiveth  baptism  repeat  after  all 
these:  "I  believe  thus."  And  he  who  bestoweth  it  shall 
lay  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  him  who  receiveth,  dip- 
ping him  three  times,  confessing  these  things  each  time. 
And  afterwards  let  him  say  again :  "  Dost  thou  believe 
in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  son  of  God  the  Fa- 
ther ;  that  he  became  man  in  a  wonderful  manner  for  us, 
in  an  incomprehensible  unity,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  of 
Mary,  the  Holy  Virgin,  without  the  seed  of  man,  and 
that  he  was  crucified  for  us  under  Pontius  Pilate,  and 
died  of  his  own  will  once  for  our  redemption,  and  rose 
on  the  third  day,  loosing  the  bands  of  death ;  that  he  as- 
cended up  into  heaven,  and  sate  on  the  right  hand  of  his 
good  Father  on  high,  and  that  he  cometh  again  to  judge 
the  living  and  the  dead  at  the  appearing  of  him  and  his 
kingdom  ?  And  dost  thou  believe  in  the  Holy  good 
Spirit,  and  quickener,  who  wholly  purifieth  in  the  holy 
church  ? "     Let  him  again  say :  "  I  believe."  ^ 

1  Copt.  Can.  B.  II.  46. 


APPENDIX.  205 


XII.     How  they  are  anointed  by  the  Presbyter  and  clothed 
and  conducted  into  the  Church. 

And  let  them  go  up  out  of  the  water,  and  the  presby- 
ter shall  anoint  him  with  the  oil  of  thanksgiving,  saying  : 
"I  anoint  thee  with  holy  anointing  oil,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ."  Thus  he  shall  anoint  every  one  of  the 
rest,  and  clothe  them  as  the  rest,  and  they  shall  enter 
into  the  church.^ 


XIII.  How  the  Bishop  and  the  Elders  bless  and  anoint  the 
heads  of  the  Catechumens  with  the  Chrism,  and  how 
the  Baptized  give  the  Peace. 

Let  the  bishop  lay  his  hand  upon  them  with  affection, 
saying :  "  Lord  God,  as  thou  hast  made  these  worthy  to 
receive  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins  in  the  world  to  come, 
make  them  worthy  to  be  filled  with  thy  Holy  Spirit,  and 
send  upon  them  thy  grace,  that  they  may  serve  thee  ac- 
cording to  thy  will,  for  thine  is  the  glory,  thou  who  art 
the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  holy 
church,  now  an^  always,  and  for  ever  and  ever."  And 
he  shall  pour  of  the  oil  of  thanksgiving  in  his  hand,  and 
put  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  each,  saying,  "  I  anoint 
thee  with  the  holy  anointing  oil,  from  God  the  Father  Al- 
mighty, and  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit."  And  he 
shall  seal  upon  his  forehead,  saluting  him.  And  he  shall 
say,  "  The  Lord  be  with  thee."  He,  who  hath  been  sealed, 
shall  answer,  "  And  with  thy  spirit."  Each  one  (of  the 
presbyters)  doing  thus  with  the  remaining.  And  let  all  the 
people  pray  together.  And  all  those  who  receive  baptism 
shall  be  praying ;   let  them  say  peace  with  their  mouths.^ 

1  Copt.  Can.  B.  n.  46.  « ibid. 

18 


206  THE   CATHOLIC. 

XIV.    How  they  receive  the  Eucharist  and  the  Milk  and 
Honey. 

Let  the  deacons  bring  the  eucharist  to  the  bishop,  and 
he  shall  give  thanks  over  the  bread,  because  of  the  simili- 
tude of  the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  over  the  cup  of  wine, 
because  it  is  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  was  poured  out 
for  every  one  who  believeth  on  him ;  and  milk  and  honey 
mixed,  for  fulfilling  the  promises  to  the  fathers,  because  he 
hath  said,  "  I  will  give  you  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey."  This  is  the  flesh  of  Christ,  which  was  given  for 
us,  that  those  who  believe  on  him  should  be  nourished  by 
it  as  infants  ;  that  bitterness  of  heart  may  be  dissipated  by 
the  sweetness  of  the  Word.  All  these  things  the  bishop 
shall  discourse  to  those  who  shall  receive  baptism. 

And  when  the  bishop  hath  divided  the  bread,  let  him 
give  a  portion  to  each  of  them,  saying,  "  This  is  the  bread 
of  heaven,  the  body  of  Christ  Jesus."  Let  him  who  re- 
ceiveth  it  answer,  "  Amen." 

And  if  there  are  not  more  presbyters  there,  let  the  deacons 
take  the  cup,  and  they  shall  stand  in  order,  that  they  may 
give  them  the  blood  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  and  the  milk 
and  the  honey.  Let  him  who  giveth  the  cup  say,  "  This 
is  the  blood  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  ; "  and  he  who  receiv- 
eth  it  again  shall  answer,  "  Amen." 

And  when  these  things  have  been  done,  let  every  one 
hasten  to  do  all  good  things,  and  to  please  God,  and  to 
take  care  to  live  in  integrity,  being  diligent  in  the  church, 
doing  those  things  which  they  have  been  taught,  proceeding 
in  the  service  of  God.^ 

1  Copt.  Can.  B.  II.  46. 


APPENDIX.  '  207 


BOOK    II. 
A. 

THE  FIEST  SET  OF  ORDINANCES  OF  THE  CHUECH  OF  ALEX- 
ANDRIA  RESPECTING  THE  CLERGY.i 


I.  How  a  Bishop  is  to  he  elected,  and  what  is  rcQuired  of 

him. 

If  there  should  be  a  place  having  a  few  faithful  men  in 
it,  before  the  multitude  increase,  who  shall  be  able  to  make  a 
dedication  to  pious  uses  for  the  bishop,  to  the  extent  of 
twelve  men,  let  them  write  to  the  churches  round  about  the 
place,  in  which  the  multitude  of  the  believers  (assemble  and) 
are  established. 

That  three  chosen  men  in  that  place  may  come,  that  they 
may  examine  with  diligence  him  who  has  been  thought  wor- 
thy of  this  degree,  whether  he  have  a  good  reputation 
among  the  people,  as  being  guiltless,  without  anger,  a  lover 
of  the  poor,  prudent,  wise,  not  given  to  wine,  not  a  fornica- 
tor, not  covetous,  not  a  contemner,  not  partial,  and  the  like 
of  these  things. 

If  he  have  not  a  wife,  it  is  a  good  thing ;  but  if  he  have 
married  a  wife,  having  children,  let  hira  abide  with  her,  con- 
tinuing steadfast  in  every  doctrine,  able  to  explain  the  Scrip- 
tures well ;  but  if  he  be  ignorant  of  literature,  let  him  be 
meek  ;  let  him  abound  in  love  towards  every  man,  lest  they 
should  accuse  the  bishop  in  any  affair,  and  he  should  be  at 
all  culpable.^ 

^  Coptic  Collection,  First  Book  ;  Ethiopic  Collection. 
2  Copt.  Coll.  Book  I.  Can.  16. 

(207) 


208  '  THE   CATHOLIC. 

II.  That  the  Bishop  is  to  ordain  two,  or  rather  three  PreS' 

byters. 

If  the  bishop  whom  they  shall  appoint  hath  attended  to 
the  knowledge  and  patience  of  the  love  of  God  with  those 
with  him,  let  him  ordain  two  presbyters  when  he  hath  exam- 
ined them,  or  rather  three. 

It  behooveth  the  presbyters  that  they  should  live  in  the 
world,  after  the  manner  of  old  men,  removing  far  off,  that 
they  should  not  touch  a  woman,  being  charitable,  lovers  of 
the  brethren ;  that  they  should  not  accept  persons,  being  par- 
takers of  the  holy  mysteries  with  the  bishop,  assisting  in  all 
things,  collecting  the  multitude  together,  that  they  may  love 
their  shepherd.  And  the  presbyters  on  the  right  hand  have 
the  care  of  those  who  labor  at  the  altar,  that  they  should 
honor  those  who  are  worthy  of  all  honor,  and  rebuke  those 
who  merit  their  rebuke.  The  presbyters  on  the  left  hand 
shall  have  the  care  of  the  people,  that  they  may  be  upright, 
that  no  one  may  be  disturbed.  And  they  shall  instruct  them 
that  they  should  be  in  all  subjection.  But  when  they  have 
instructed  one,  answering  contumaciously,  those  within  the 
altar  should  be  of  one  heart  and  one  mind,  that  they  may 
receive  the  reward  of  that  honor  according  to  its  desert. 
And  all  the  rest  shall  fear  lest  they  should  deviate,  and  one 
of  them  should  become  changed,  like  one  wasting  away,  and 
all  should  be  brought  into  captivity.^ 

III.  How  the  Reader  is  to  be  proved,  and  what  is  required 

of  him. 

The  reader  shall  be  appointed  after  he  hath  been  fully 

proved ;  one  who  bridleth  his  tongue,  not  a  drunkard,  not 

a  derider  in   his  speech,  but  decorous  in  his  appearance ; 

obedient,  being  the  first  to  congregate  on  the  Lord's  day ; 

1  Copt.  Can.  17,  18. 


APPENDIX.  •«  209 

a  servant  knowing  what  is  meet  for  him,  that  he  may  fulfil 
the  work  of  publishing  the  gospel.  For  he  who  fiUeth  the 
ears  of  others  with  his  doctrines,  it  becoraeth  him  the  more 
that  he  should  be  a  faithful  workman  before  God.^ 


IV*.  How  the  Deacon  is  to  he  proved,  and  what  is  required 
of  him. 

Let  the  deacons  be  appointed  by  three  testifying  to  their 
life.  For  it  is  written  :  "  By  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  wit- 
nesses shall  every  word  be  established."  Let  them  be 
proved  in  every  service,  all  the  people  bearing  witness  to 
them,  that  they  have  resided  with  one  wife,  have  brought 
up  their  children  well,  being  humble,  prudent,  meek,  sober, 
quiet ;  not  vehement,  nor  murmurers ;  not  double-tongued, 
nor  wrathful,  for  wrath  destroyeth  the  wise  ;  nor  hypocrites. 
They  shall  not  afflict  the  poor,  neither  shall  they  accept  the 
persons  of  the  rich ;  they  shall  not  be  drinkers  of  much 
wine,  being  ready  to  act  in  every  good  service  in  secret. 
Cheei-ful  in  their  habitations,  constraining  the  brethren  who 
have,  that  they  should  opem  their  hand  to  give.  And  they 
also  being  givers,  the  goods  being  in  common,  that  the 
people  may  honor  them  with  all  honor,  and  all  fear,  beseech- 
ing with  great  earnestness  those  who  walk  in  dissimulation. 
And  some  they  should  teach,  and  some  they  should  rebuke, 
but  the  rest  they  should  prohibit.  But  let  those  who  despise, 
and  the  contumacious,  be  cast  out,  knowing  that  all  men  who 
are  vehement  or  slanderers  fight  against  Christ.^ 

IV.  Additional  Ordinance  respecting  the  Deacons. 

Let  the  deacons  be  doers  of  good  works,  drawing  near  by 
day  and  night  in  every  place.  They  must  not  exalt  them- 
selves above  the  poor,  neither  must  they  accept  the  persons 

1  Copt.  Can.  19.  ^  jbid.  20. 

18* 


210^  THE   CATHOLIC. 

of  the  rich.  They  shall  know  the  afflicted,  that  they  may 
give  to  him  out  of  their  store  of  provisions  ;  constraining 
those  who  are  able  for  good  works  to  gather  them  in,  attend- 
ing to  the  words  of  our  Master :  "  I  was  an  hungered,  and 
ye  gave  me  meat."  For  those  who  have  ministered  with- 
out sin,  gain  for  themselves  much  confidence.^ 


V.  How  three   Widows  are  to  he  appointed,  and  what  are 
their  duties. 

Let  three  widows  be  appointed ;  two  that  they  may  give 
their  whole  attention  to  prayer  for  every  one  who  is  in 
temptations,  and  that  they  may  render  thanks  to  him  whom 
they  follow.  But  the  other  one  should  be  left  constantly 
with  the  women  who  ai*e  tried  in  sickness,  ministering 
well ;  watching  and  telling  to  the  presbyter  the  things  which 
take  place.  Not  a  lover  of  filthy  lucre ;  not  given  to  drink  : 
that  she  may  be  able  to  watch,  that  she  may  minister  in  the 
night.  And  if  another  desireth  to  help  to  do  good  works, 
let  her  do  so  according  to  the  pleasure  of  her  heart ;  for 
these  are  the  good  things  which  the  Lord  first  commanded.^ 


VI.  For  what  purpose  Deaconesses  are  to  he  appointed. 

Christ  gave  no  place  for  the  women,  that  they  might  help 
at  the  altar.  Martha  said  of  Mary,  "  See  how  she  laughs." 
Mary  said,  "  I  laughed  not ;  but  he  said  to  us,  teaching,  that 
the  Aveak  shall  be  liberated  by  the  strong." 

Some  say,  it  becometh  the  women  to  pray  standing, 
and  that  they  should  not  cast  themselves  down  upon  the 
earth. 

Women  are  not  to  be  appointed  for  a  service,  besides  this 
service  only,  that  they  assist  the  indigent.' 

1  Copt.  Can.  22.  2  ibid.  21.  «  Ibid.  26-28, 


APPENDIX.  211 


B. 


THE  SECOND   SET   OF    ORDINANCES    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF 
ALEXANDRIA  RESPECTING  THE  CLERGY.i 


I.   iTow  a  Bishop  is  to  he  elected  and  ordained,  and  how 
he  is  to  say  ike  thanksgiving. 

A  bishop  shall  be  ordained  who  hath  been  chosen  by  all 
the  people  and  is  blameless.  "When  the  name  of  this  one 
hath  been  named  and  they  have  agreed,  all  the  people  shall 
assemble  together,  and  the  presbyters  and  deacons,  on  the 
Lord's  day,  all  the  bishops  consenting ;  and  the  presbyters 
standing  quietly,  and  they  all  being  silent  together,  they 
shall  pray  in  their  heart  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may  descend 
upon  him.  And  he  who  is  worthy  out  of  the  bishops,  every 
one  standing,  putteth  his  hand  upon  him  whom  they  have 
made  bishop,  praying  over  him.  And  when  he  is  made  a 
bishop,  let  all  give  the  salutation  of  peace  to  him,  saluting 
him  with  the  mouth.  And  let  the  deacons  present  the  holy 
communion  to  him.  And  he,  when  he  hath  put  his  hand 
upon  the  eucharist  with  the  presbyters,  let  him  say  the 
thanksgiving :  "  The  Lord  be  with  you  all."  Let  all  the 
people  say,  "  And  with  thy  spirit."  He  shall  say,  "  Lift  up 
your  hearts."  The  people  shall  say,  "  We  have  them  to  the 
Lord."  He  shall  say  again,  "  Let  us  give  thanks  to  the 
Lord."  All  the  people  shall  say,  "  (It  is)  worthy  and  just." 
And  let  him  pi'ay  thus,  saying  the  (prayers)  following  these, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  holy  communion.^ 

1  Coptic  Collection,  Second  Book. 

2  Copt.  Coll.  book  ii.  can.  31. 


212  THE  CATHOLIC. 

I  *.  The  same,  according  to  the  Ethwpic  Collection. 
The  bishop  shall  be  chosen  by  all  the  people.  He  must 
be  without  blame,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Apostle  (Epistle  to 
Timothy).  In  the  week  in  which  he  is  to  be  ordained,  if 
all  the  people  say  of  him,  "  "We  choose  him,"  he  is  not  to 
be  molested.  And  they  shall  pray  over  him,  and  say :  "  O 
God,  show  Thy  love  to  this  man  whom  Thou  hast  prepared 
for  us."  And  they  shall  choose  one  of  the  bishops  and  one 
of  the  presbyters ;  and  they  shall  lay  their  hands  upon  his 
head  and  pray.* 

•♦ 

II  *.  How  a  Presbyter  is  to  he  ordained,  according  to  that  same 
Ethiopic  Collection. 

When  a  presbyter  is  to  be  ordained,  there  shall  be  done 
to  him  in  every  respect  as  is  done  to  a  bishop,  except  plac- 
ing him  on  the  cathedra,  and  they  shall  pray  over  him  all 
the  prayers  of  the  bishop,  except  the  name  of  the  bishop 
only ;  and  the  presbyter  shall  equal  the  bishop  in  every 
thing  except  the  name  of  the  cathedra  and  of  ordination. 
For  he  hath  not  given  to  him  the  power  of  ordination.'^ 

II.   The  same,  according  to  the  Coptic  Collection. 

And  when  the  bishop  shall  ordain  a  presbyter,  he  shall 
put  his  hands  upon  his  head,  and  all  the  presbyters  shaU 
touch  him.  And  let  him  pray  over  him,  according  to  the 
form  which  we  have  spoken  of  concerning  the  bishops.^ 

III.  How  a  Deacon  is  to  be  appointed,  and  what  is  his  office. 

And  the  bisliop  shall  appoint  a  deacon  who  hath  been 
chosen :  the  bishop  alone  shall  lay  his  hands  on  him :  be- 

1  Ethiopic  Coll.  Can.  2.        2  ibid.  4.  8  Copt.  Can.  32. 


APPENDIX.  213 

cause  he  shall  not  be  ordained  for  the  priesthood  but  for  the 
service  of  the  bishop,  that  he  may  do  those  things  which  he 
shall  command  him.  Neither  shall  he  be  appointed,  that  he 
may  be  of  the  council  of  all  the  clergy,  but  that  he  may 
take  care  of  the  sick,  and  he  shall  make  them  known  to  the 
bishop.  Neither  shall  he  be  appointed  that  he  may  receive 
the  spirit  of  greatness  which  the  presbyters  shall  receive, 
but  that  he  may  be  worthy  that  the  bishop  may  believe  him 
in  those  things  which  it  behooveth  him.  On  this  account  the 
bishop  alone  shall  ordain  the  deacon.^ 

IV.  In  ichat  a  Bishop  differs  from  an  Elder. 

But  the  bishop  shall  ordain  the  presbyter.  He  shall  lay 
the  hand  on  him,  because  that  same  spirit  cometh  upon  him : 
for  the  presbyter  receiveth  it  only,  he  hath  not  power  to 
give  it  to  the  clergy ;  therefore  he  will  not  be  able  to  appoint 
the  clergy.  The  presbyter  is  only  sealing  (is  only  able  to 
baptize  and  give  the  spirit  to  the  baptized  in  anointing  liim), 
the  bishop  shall  ordain  him.^ 

V.  Hiat  a  Confessor  needeth  no  ordination  to  become  Deacon 
or  Presbyter. 

But  if  the  confessor  hath  been  in  bonds  .for  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  they  shall  not  lay  hands  on  him  for  the  service 
(of  deacons),  or  for  the  office  of  presbyter,  for  he  hath  the 
honor  of  eldership  by  his  confession.  But  if  they  will  ap- 
point him  for  a  bishop,  they  shall  lay  hands  on  him.  But 
if  he  is  a  confessor,  he  shall  not  have  been  taken  in  before 
the  authorities ;  neither  shall  he  have  been  punished  with 
bonds  ;  neither  shall  he  have  been  cast  into  prison  ;  neither 
shall  he  have  been  condemned  in  any  injustice.  But  ac- 
cording to  the  Word,  because  he  hath  been  reviled  alone  for 

1  Copt.  Can.  33a.  2  Copt.  Can.  33b. 


214  THE   CATHOLIC. 

the  name  of  our  Lord,  and  hath  heen  punished  with  pun- 
ishment in  a  house,  and  hath  confessed,  he  is  worthy  of 
every  sacerdotal  office  from  them,  they  shall  lay  hands  on 
him,  and  every  one^ shall  pray  according  to  his  ability.  But 
if  he  is  able  to  pray  suitably,  and  the  prayer  acceptable,  it 
is  good.  But  if,  when  he  again  prayeth,  he  sendeth  forth  a 
prayer  in  (a  certain)  measure,  no  one  forbidding  him,  let  him 
only  pray  entirely  in  a  right  faith.^ 

VI.  How  a  Reader  is  to  he  appointed. 

The  reader  shall  be  appointed.  The  bishop  shall  give 
him  the  book  of  the  apostles,  and  shall  pray  over  him,  but 
he  shall  not  lay  his  hand  upon  him.^ 

VII.  How  Widows  are  to  he  appointed. 

But  when  a  widow  is  appointed,  she  shall  not  be  ordained, 
but  she  shall  be  chosen  by  name  ;  and  if  her  husband  hath 
been  dead  for  a  long  time,  let  her  be  appointed.  But  if  she 
hath  not  delayed  from  the  death  of  her  husband,  believe  her 
not.  But  if  she  hath  become  old,  let  her  be  proved  for  a 
time  ;  for  often  even  the  passion  long  surviveth,  and  will 
have  place  in  them. 

Let  a  widow  be  appointed  by  word  only.  She  shall  be 
united  with  the  rest.  They  shall  not  lay  hands  on  her,  be- 
cause she  shall  not  put  on  the  eucharist,  neither  shall  she 
i:)erform  public  service.  But  imj^osition  of  hands  shall  be 
Avith  the  clergy  for  the  ministry.  But  the  widow  is  appointed 
for  prayer,  and  that  is  of  all.' 

1  Copt.  Can.  34.  2  ibid.  35.  »  Ibid.  37. 


APPKST)IX.  215 

VIII.  How  Virgins  are  to  he  appointed. 

There  shall  be  no  imposition  of  hands  on  a  virgin  ;  for  it 
is  her  choice  alone  that  maketh  her  a  virgin.* 

IX.   What  is  to  he  done  with  him  who  hath  the  gifts  of 
healing. 

If  one  shall  say,  "  I  have  received  the  gifts  of  healing  by 
a  revelation,"  they  shall  not  lay  hands  on  him ;  for  the  thing 
itself  will  be  manifest  if  he  speak  truth.'* 


C. 

THE  THIRD  SET   OF   ORDINANCES  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF 
ALEXANDRIA  RESPECTING  THE  CLERGY.* 


I.  How  a  Bishop  is  to  he  elected,  proved,  and  ordained. 

-  It  is  necessary  that  a  bishop  should  be  ordained ;  first 
being  chosen,  being  a  holy  person,  approved  in  all  things, 
chosen  by  all  the  people ;  and  Avhen  he  hath  been  named 
and  approved,  Jet  all  the  people,  and  the  presbyters,  and  the 
honored  bishops  assemble  together  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 
let  the  principal  among  them  ask  the  presbyters  and  all  the 
people:  "Is  this  the  man  whom  ye  desire  for  a  ruler?" 
And  if  they  shall  say,  "  Yes,  this  is  he  in  truth,"  let  him  ask 
them  again :  "  Do  ye  all  bear  witness  to  him,  that  he  is 
worthy  of  this  great,  honorable,  and  holy,  authority  ?  and 

1  Copt.  Can.  38.        2  ibj^,  39.        3  Coptic  Collection,  Book  IV. 


216  THE   CATHOLIC. 

whether  ■  he  hath  been  pure  in  the  piety  which  he  hath 
towards  God  ?  And  whether  he  observeth  justice  towards 
all  men  ?  And  whether  he  governeth  his  own  house  well  ? 
And  whether  his  whole  life  hath  been  blameless,  and  he 
hath  not  been  apprehended  in  any  thing,  neither  those  of 
his  house  ?  " 

And  if  they  altogether  have  witnessed  that  he  is  such  an 
one  according  to  the  truth,  and  not  according  to  favor,  God 
the  Father,  and  his  only  begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  being  judge  that  these  things  are 
60 ;  let  them  be  asked  the  third  time,  if  he  be  worthy  of 
this  great  service,  of  sacriJSce,  "  That  out  of  the  mouth  of  two 
or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  established :  and  if 
they  shall  say  the  third  time  that  he  is  worthy,  let  their  votes 
be  received  from  them  all ;  and  when  they  have  given  these 
cheerfully,  let  them  be  silent  and  quiet.  And  one  of  the 
principal  bishops  shall  take  with  him  two  other  bishops, 
all  the  bishops  standing  near  the  altar,  praying  in  silence 
with  the  presbyters  ;  all  the  deacons  also  holding  the  Holy 
Gospels  spread  open  upon  the  head  of  him  who  is  to  be 
ordained,  the  bishop  praying  to  God  over  him.  And  when 
he  hath  finished  praying  over  him,  let  one  of  the  bishops 
place  the  oblation  upon  the  hands  of  him  who  is  ordained, 
and  let  the  bishops  place  him  upon  the  throne  which  be- 
cometh  him.^ 


II.  How  the  Bishop  is  to  ordain  a  Presbyter  or  Deacon. 

When  thou,  0  bishop,  ordainest  a  presbyter,  lay  thy  hand 
upon  his  head,  all  the  presbyters  standing,  and  the  deacons 
praying,  ordaining  him.  Thou  shalt  also  ordain  the  deacon 
according  to  this  first  ordination.'' 

1  Copt.  Can.  65,  ^  ibid,  67*. 


APPENDIX.  217 


III.    How  he  is  to  appoint  Subdeacons,  and  headers,  and 
Deaconesses. 

And  concerning  the  subdeacons,  and  readers,  and  dea- 
conesses, it  is  not  necessary  to  ordain  them.^ 


IV.  That  a  Confessor  needeth  no  Ordination,  unless  made  a 
Bishop. 

Ordain  not  the  confessor,  for  this  thing  is  of  his  choice 
and  patience ;  for  he  is  worthy  of  a  great  honor,  as  he  who 
hath  confessed  the  name  of  God  and  his  Son,  before  kings 
and  nations.  But  if  thei'e  shall  be  occasion  that  he  should 
be  made  a  bishop,  or  a  presbyter,  or  a  deacon,  let  him  be 
ordained.^ 

V.  Against  arrogant  and  presumptuous  Confessors. 

If  a  confessor,  who  hath  not  been  ordained,  hath  seized 
for  himself  the  dignity,  on  account  of  the  confession,  let  him 
be  anathematized ;  for  he  is  not  one  since  he  hath  denied  the 
command  of  Christ,  and  "  hath  become  worse  than  an  infi- 
del." 3 

VI.    Virgins  not  to  he  ordained. 

Let  not  a  virgin  be  ordained,  for  we  have  no  command 
from  the  Lord.  For  this  struggle  is  her  choice,  and  is  not 
for  the  reproach  of  marriage,  but  for  the  leisure  of  serving 
God.* 

VII.  Precautions  in  the  appointment  of  Widows. 

A  widow  shall  not  be  ordained ;  but  if  it  is  a  great  dis- 
tance of  time  since  her  husband  died,  and  she  has  lived  pru- 
dently, and  they  have  not  found  any  fault  against  her,  and  she 

1  Can.  67b.  2  ibij.  68a.  3  Ibid.  68b.  *  Ibid.  69. 

19 


218  THE   CATHOLIC. 

has  taken  care  of  those  of  her  house  well,  as  Judith  and  An- 
na, women  of  purity,  let  her  be  appointed  to  the  order  of 
widows.  But  if  she  hath  not  waited  from  the  death  of  her 
husband,  believe  her  not,  but  let  her  be  proved  by  the  time. 
For  the  evil  passion  remaineth  in  old  persons,  with  those 
who  will  permit  it  a  place  in  themselves,  if  it  be  not  restrained 
with  a  sharp  bridle.^ 

VIII.  Precautions  as  to  Persons  who  have  the  Gift  of  healing 

the  Possessed. 
Exorcists  shall  not  be  ordained,  for  the  design  is  of  the 
choice  of  the  will,  and  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  Christ  Je- 
sus. When  the  Holy  Spirit  is  manifested  in  the  man,  he 
will  receive  the  gift  of  healing ;  it  is  made  manifest  by  the 
revelation  of  God,  by  the  grace  of  God  which  is  in  him,  giv- 
ing light  to  all  men.  But  if  there  be  a  necessity  that  he 
should  be  a  bishop,  or  presbyter,  or  deacon,  let  him  be  or- 
dained.* 

IX.  Additional  Ordinance  as  to  the  case  of  a  Bishop  having 

been  ordained  by  one  Bishop  only. 

It  is  necessary  that  a  bishop  should  be  ordained  by  three, 
or  two,  bishops ;  but  if  one  bishop  hath  ordained  him,  let 
him  be  anathematized.  But  if  a  necessity  hath  happened  to 
any  one  that  he  should  be  ordained  by  one  only,  because  they 
are  not  able  to  gather  together  on  account  of  the  persecu- 
tion which  is  without,  or  on  account  of  any  other  such  like 
cause,  let  the  permission  from  many  other  holy  bishops  be 
received  for  doing  this,  which  is  requisite  for  him." 

X.  General  Definitions  of  the  peculiar  Right  and  Power  of 

the  different  Members  of  the  Clergy. 
The  bishop  blesseth,  but  is  not  blessed.     He  ordaineth, 
layeth  on  hands  upon  men,  putteth  on  the  oblation,  receiveth 

1  Can.  70.  2  Ibid.  71.  »  Ibid.  72. 


APPENDIX.  219 

the  blessing  from  the  bishops,  but  not  from  the  presbyters. 
The  bishop  anatheraatizeth  (excludeth)  every  clergyman 
who  deserveth  to  be  anathematized  (excluded) ;  but  to 
another  bishop  he  is  without  power  to  do  this  alone. 

A  presbyter  also  blesseth  and  receiveth  the  blessing  from 
his  fellow-presbyter  and  from  the  bishop  ;  and  he  likewise 
giveth  it  to  his  fellow-presbyter.  He  layeth  his  hands  on  men, 
but  he  doth  not  ordain,  neither  doth  he  anathematize.  He 
putteth  out  those  who  are  under  him  ;  and  if  there  are  any 
deserving  of  punishment,  let  him  give  it  them. 

A  deacon  doth  not  bless,  neither  doth  he  give  the  blessing, 
but  he  receiveth  it  from  the  bishop  and  the  presbyter.  He 
doth  not  baptize,  neither  doth  he  put  on  the  eucharist.  But 
when  the  bishop  and  the  presbyter  have  set  on  the  eucha- 
rist, the  deacon  giveth  the  cup,  not  as  a  priest,  but  as  one 
who  ministereth  to  the  priests.  There  is  no  power  in  any 
other  of  the  clergy  to  do  the  work  of  a  deacon. 

And  a  deaconess  doth  not  bless,  neither  doth  she  do  any 
of  those  things  which  the  presbyters  and  the  deacons  do,  but 
she  keepeth  the  doors  only,  and  ministereth  to  the  presbyters 
at  the  time  of  the  baptism  of  women,  because  this  is  becom- 
ing. 

A  deacon  can  put  out  the  subdeacon,  and  the  readers,  and 
the  singer,  ^nd  the  deaconesses,  if  occasion  leads  him,  no 
presbyter  indeed  being  there.  A  subdeacon  has  no  power 
to  put  out  a  reader,  or  a  singer,  or  a  deaconess,  or  a  lay  per- 
son, for  he  is  a  minister  to  the  deacons.^ 

1  Can.  73. 


220  THE   CATHOLIC. 


BOOK    III. 

A. 
THE  LITURGY,  OR  THE   GENERAL  ORDER  OF  THE  SERVICE. 


FIRST    PART. 

Preparatory  Service,  or  Service  of  the  Catechumens. 
Accessible  also  to  the  hearers,  who  are  learning  the  word,  but  have  not  yet 
taken  the  sacred  pledge,  and  therefore  do  not  belong  to  the  communion 
of  the  believers. 

A  Psalm  of  the  Old  or  (New  ?)  Testament  sang  in  the  antiphonic 

manner  of  the  Hebrew  poetry,  according  to  hemistichs. 
Or  also  an  act  of  humiliation  and  confession. 
The  doxology,  or  the  praise,  at  the  end  of  a  Psalm  : 

Glory  be  to  the  father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 

for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

Or, 

Glory  he  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 

for  ever  and  ever.     Atnen. 

Or, 

Glory  be  to  the  Father  in  (or  through)  the  Son,  and  through 

the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 

A  Canticle  of  the  Old  Testament. 

Or  a  Cluistian  hymn  or  sacred  song. 

Lesson  from  the  Old  Testament. 

Lesson  from  the  New  Testament. 

Homily,  or  explanation  of  Scripture,  especially  of  the   Gospel,  and 

exhortations  to  Christian  faith  and  life. 
Dismissal  of  the  catechumens  or  hearers,  with  blessing. 


APPENDIX.  221 


SECOND   PART. 

The  Service  of  the  Believers,  or  Service  of  Thanksgiving  [Eucharist). 
The   Oblation,  or  placing  of  bread  and  wine  (and  first-fruits)  on  the 

communion  table. 
Grenerally  a  word  of  admonition  premised,  as : 

No  profane  ! 
Wisdom ! 
The  mutual  salutation  of  bishop  (or  presbyters)  and  people  : 

The  Lord  be  with  you  : 
And  with  thy  Spirit. 

The  Preface,  or  introduction  to  the  thanksgiving  for  the  gifts  of  God 

and  for  Christ's  redemption  : 

Lift  up  your  hearts : 

T^e  lift  them  up  unto  the  Lord. 

Let  us  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord : 

It  is  meet  and  right  so  to  do. 

The  Prayer  of  Thanlcsgiving :  either  only 

The  Lord's  Prayer, 

to  which,  for  that  purpose,  the  following  doxology  or  conclud- 
ing praise  was  added,  Avith  the  usual  response  : 

For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and   the  power,  and  the  glory, 
for  ever  and  ever. 

[Or, 

For  thine  is  the  power,  for  ever  and  ever.] 
Amen. 

Or,  besides,  a  free  prayer  of  the  bishop,  or  elder,  praising  God's 
benefits  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  asking  his  blessing  for 
the  communicants. 

(The  words  of  the  institution  formed  no  necessary  part  of  this 
prayer  of  consecration,  but  may  have  been  historically  recited.) 

^The  communion  of  all  the  believers  present,  taken  both  in  the 
bread  and  in  the  cup. 
Antiphonic  verses  used  before  the  communion,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
church. 
The  Cherubic  Hymn,  or  Trisagion,  from  Isaiah  : 

19* 


222  THE   CATHOLIC. 

Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  the  God  of  Sabaoth. 
Heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  thy  glory. 

After  this  verse,  or  perhaps  originally  instead  of  it,  was  sang : 
The  hymn  of  thanksgiving,  or  the  morning  hymn. 
(See  the  text  at  the  head  of  the  hymns.) 

Other  antiphonic  verses  used  before  the  communion : 
Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  : 

Messed  is  he  who  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Or, 
God  is  the  Lord : 

Who  was  made  manifest  to  us  in  the  flesh. 
Or,  exhortations  and  admonitions  to  the  congregation  : 
He  who  is  holy,  let  him  draw  near. 

If  he  is  not,  let  him  become  so  through  penitence. 
Or, 
This  is  Maranatha !  (the  Lord  cometh !) 

AJier  the  communion. 
Prayer  of  thanksgiving,  tor  the  benefit  and  grace  received,  (sometimes 

the  Lord's  Prayer  with  doxology  used  at  this  place.) 
The  dismissal  of  the  congregation  with  the  blessing. 


B. 

THE  RECORDED  EARLY  HYMNS  AND  FORMS    OF    THANKS- 
GIVING. 


I.   The  Hymn  of  Thanksgiving,  or  the  Morning  Hymn  of  the 
early  Church. 

1.   According  to  the  Alexandrian  Manuscript  of  the  Bible :  also  called 
JJymnus  Angelicus. 

Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  and  on  earth  peace,  good-will 
among  men.     We  praise  Thee,  we  bless  Thee,  we  worship 


APPENDIX.  «  223 

Thee  :  we  give  thanks  to  Thee  for  Thy  great  glory  ;  0  Lord, 
heavenly  king,  God  the  Father  almighty  !  O  Lord,  the 
only  begotten  Son,  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  O 
Lord  God !  O  Lamb  of  God !  Son  of  the  Father,  that 
takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  have  mercy  upon  us. 
Thou  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  have  mercy 
upon  us,  receive  our  prayer.  Thou  that  sittest  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  the  Father,  have  mercy  upon  us.  For  Thou 
only  art  holy :  Thou  only  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  to  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father.     Amen. 

'.   The  same  reduced  to  its  primitive  form. 

Glory  be  to  God  on  high  : 

And  on  earth  peace,  good-will  among  men. 
[Or  perhaps  more  primitively : 
And  on  earth  peace  among  the  men  of  good-willJ] 

"We  praise  Thee,  we  bless  Thee,  we  worship  Thee, 

We  give  thanks  to  Thee  for  thy  great  glory. 
0  Lord,  heavenly  King,  God  the  Father  Almighty : 

Lord  God! 

0  Lord,  the  only  begotten  Son : 

Jesus  Christ! 
That  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world : 

Have  mercy  upon  us. 
Thou  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world : 

Have  mercy  upon  us,  receive  our  prayer. 
Thou  that  sittest  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father : 

Have  mercy  upon  us. 

For  Thou  only  art  holy  : 

Thou  only  art  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ : 
To  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,     Amen. 


224  •  THE    CATHOLIC. 


II.  The  Morning  Psalm  (Ps.  xiii.),  or  the  following  morning 

verse  between  Psalm  verses : 

Every  day  will  I  bless  Thee  : 

And  I  will  bless  thy  name  for  ever  and  ever. 
Vouchsafe,  0  Lord,  to  keep  us  this  day  without  sin. 
Blessed  art  Thou.  O  Lord  God  of  our  Fathers : 

And  Thy  name  be  praised  and  glorified  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen. 

III.  The  Evening  Psalm  (Ps.  xli.),  or  the  Song  of  Simeon, 

or  the  following  Psalm  composed  of  Psalm  Verses. 
Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  teach  me  Thy  statutes. 
Lord,  Thou  hast  been  our  dwelling-place  in  all  generations. 
I  said.  Lord,  be  merciful  unto  me  : 

Heal  my  soul,  for  I  have  sinned  against  Thee. 
Lord,  I  flee  unto  thee  to  hide  me. 
Teach  me  to  do  Thy  will : 

For  Thou  art  my  God. 
For  with  Thee  is  the  fountain  of  life  : 

In  Thy  light  shall  we  see  light. 
0  continue  thy  loving-kindness  unto  them  that  know  Thee, 

IV.  The  Evening  Hymn  of  the  Greek  Christians. 
Serene  light  of  holy  glory, 

Of  the  Father  everlasting,  Jesus  Christ ! 
Having  come  to  the  setting  of  the  sun, 
And  seeing  the  evening  light, 
We  praise  the  Father  and  the  Son 
And  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 
It  behooveth  to  praise  Thee 
At  all  time  with  holy  songs, 
Sons  of  God  who  hast  given  life, 
Therefore  the  world  glorifieth  Thee.  ^ 


APPENDIX.  225 


V.  The  Evening  Hymn  of  the  Apostolic  Constitutions. 

Praise,  0  ye  servants,  the  Lord : 
Praise  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

We  praise  Thee,  we  sing  unto  Thee,  we  bless  Thee  : 

On  account  of  Thy  great  glory. 
O  Lord  the  King,  Father  of  Christ : 

Of  the  spotless  Lamb,  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world. 
It  behooveth  to  praise  Thee  : 

It  behooveth  to  sing  unto  Thee. 
It  behooveth  to  glorify  Thee,  God  and  Father : 

Through  the  Son,  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  CTCr  and  ever. 
Amen. 


APPENDIX  FROM  THE  SEVENTH  BOOK  OF  THF  GBEEK  CON- 
STITUTIONS. 


LITURGICAL    FORMULARIES. 

I.  A  Form  of  Prayer  of  Thanksgiving  before  ike  Communion. 

We  thank  Thee,  our  Father,  for  that  life  which  Thou  hast 
made  known  to  us  by  Jesus  thy  Son,  by  whom  Thou  madest 
all  things,  and  takest  care  of  the  whole  world  ;  whom  Thou 
hast  sent  to  become  man  for  our  salvation  ;  whom  Thou  hast 
permitted  to  suffer  and  to  die ;  whom  Thou  hast  raised  up, 
and  been  pleased  to  glorify,  and  hast  set  down  on  Thy  right 
hand :  by  whom  Thou  hast  promised  us  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead.  Do  Thou,  O  Lord  Almighty,  everlasting  God,  so 
gather  together  Thy  church  from  the  ends  of  the  earth  into 


226  THE   CATHOLIC. 

thy  kingdom,  as  this  (corn)  was  once  scattered,  and  is  now 
become  one  loaf.  We  also,  our  Father,  thank  thee  for  the 
precious  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  shed  for  us,  and 
for  his  precious  body,  whereof  we  celebrate  this  representa- 
tion, as  himself  appointed  us,  to  show  forth  his  death.  For, 
through  Him,  glory  is  to  be  given  to  Thee  for  ever.  Amen. 

II.  A  Form  of  Thanksgiving  after  the  Communion. 

We  thank  Thee,  0  God  and  Father  of  Jesus  our  Saviour, 
for  Thy  holy  name,  which  Thou  hast  made  to  inhabit  among 
us  ;  and  that  knowledge,  faith,  love,  and  immortality,  which 
Thou  hast  given  us  through  Thy  Son  Jesus.  Thou,  O  Al- 
mighty Lord,  the  God  of  the  universe,  hast  created  the  world, 
and  the  things  that  are  therein  by  Him ;  and  hast  planted  a 
law  in  our  souls,  and  beforehand  didst  prepare  things  for  the 
convenience  of  men.  O  God  of  our  holy  and  blameless  fa- 
thers, Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  Thy  faithful  servants  ; 
Thou,  O  God,  who  art  powerful,  faithful,  and  true,  and  with- 
out deceit  in  Thy  promises ;  who  didst  send  upon  earth 
Jesus  Thy  Christ  to  converse  with  men,  as  a  man,  when  he 
was  God,  the  Word,,  and  man,  to  take  away  error  by  the 
roots ;  do  thou,  even  now,  through  Him,  be  mindful  of  this 
Thy  holy  church,  which  Thou  hast  purchased  with  the  pre- 
cious blood  of  Thy  Christ,  and  deliver  it  from  all  evil,  and 
perfect  it  in  Thy  love  and  Thy  truth,  and  gather  us  all  to- 
gether into  Thy  kingdom  which  Thou  hast  prepared.  Amen. 


POWER  CLAIMED  FOR  THE  POPE  BY  THE  ROM- 
ISH HIERARCHY.! 

"  It  is  notorious,  that  many  canonists  (if  not  most)  and 
many  divines  of  that  party  do  maintain  this  doctrine  ;  affirm- 
ing, that  all  the  power  of  Christ  (the  Lord  of  lords,  and 
King  of  kings,  to  whom  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  doth 
appertain)  is  imparted  to  the  pope,  as  to  his  vicegerent.^ 

"  This  is  the  doctrine  which  almost  four  hundred  years  ago 
Augustinus  Triumphus,  in  his  ®  egregious  work  concerning 
ecclesiastical  power,  did  teach ;  attributing  to  the  pope  an 
incomprehensible  and  infinite  power ;  because  great  is  the 
Lord,  and  great  is  his  power,  and  of  his  greatness  there  is 
no  end. 

"  This  is  the  doctrine  which  the  leading  theologue  of  their 
sect,  their  angelical  doctor,  doth  affirm,  both  directly,  saying, 
that  *  in  the  pope  is  the  top  of  both  powers  ;  and  by  plain 
consequence,  asserting,  that  when  any  one  is  denounced  ex- 
communicate for  apostasy,  his  subjects  are  immediately 
freed  from  his  dominion,  and  their  oath  of  allegiance  to 
him. 

"  This  the  same  Thomas  (or  an  author  passing  under  his 
name,  in  his  book  touching  the  rule  of  princes)  doth  teach, 
affirming  that  the  pope,^  as  supreme  king  of  all  the  world, 
may  impose  taxes  on  all  Christians,  and  destroy  towns  and 
castles  for  the  preservation  of  Christianity. 

^  Extract  from  Barrow's  works  on  the  Pope's  Supremacy,  Vol.  VII. 
p.  5  to  17. 

^  Bell.  V.  I. 

"  Bell,  de  Script,  an.  1301. 

*  Thomas  in  fine  Secun.  Sentent.  dicit  in  papa  esse  apicem  utrius- 
que  potestatis.  Bell.  V.  I. 

"  S.  Thomas  (in  lib.  iii.  de  Regim.  Princ.  cap.  10, 19.)  Bell.  V.  5, 

(227) 


228  THE  CATHOLIC. 

"  This  (as  cardinal  Zabarell  near  three  hundred  years  ago 
telleth  us)  is  the  doctrine  ^  which,  for  a  long  time,  those  who 
would  please  popes  did  persuade  them,  that  they  could  do 
all  things,  whatever  they  pleased  ;  yea,  and  things  unlawful ; 
and  so  could  do  more  than  God. 

"  According  to  this  doctrine  then  current  at  Rome,  in  the 
last  Lateran  great  synod,  under  the  pope's  nose  and  in  his 
ear,  one  bishop  styled  him,^  prince  of  the  world ;  another 
orator  called  him,^  king  of  kings,  and  monarch  of  the  earth ; 
another  great  prelate  said  of  him,  that  *  he  had  all  power 
above  all  powers  both  of  heaven  and  earth.  And  the  same 
roused  up  Pope  Leo  X.  in  these  brave  terms :  ^  "  Snatch  up 
therefore  the  twoedged  sword  of  divine  power,  committed 
to  thee  ;  arid  enjoin,  command,  and  charge,  that  an  univer- 
sal peace  and  alliance  be  made  among  Christians  for  at 
least  ten  years ;  and  to  that  bind  kings  in  the  fetters  of  the 
great  King,  and  consti'ain  nobles  by  the  iron  manacles  of 
censures ;  for  to  thee  is  given  all  power  in  heaven  and  in 
earth." 

This  is  the  doctrine  which  Baronius,  with  a  Roman  con- 
fidence, doth  so  often  assert  and  drive  forward,  saying,  that  * 
there  can  be  no  doubt  of  it,  but  that  the  civil  principality 
is  subject  to  the  sacerdotal :  and,  that ''  God  hath  made  the 
political  government  subject  to  the  dominion  of  the  spiritual 
church. 

§  III.  From  that  doctrine  the  opinion  in  effect  doth  not 
differ,  which  Bellarmine  voucheth  for  the  common  opinion 
of  catholics,  that  ^  by  reason  of  the  spiritual  pow«r,  the 

1  Zab.  de  Schism. 

2  Episc.  Spal.  sess.  i.  p.  24. 
•^  Del.  Rio,  sess.  viii.  p.  87. 

*  Episc.  Patrac.  sess.  x.  p.  132. 

5  Ibid.  p.  133. 

6  Politicumprincipatum  sacerdotal!  esse  snbjectam  nulla  potest  esse 
dubitatio.   Ann.  57,  §  23. 

"  Ibid.  §  .53. 
8  Bell.  V.  I. 


APPENDIX.  22& 

pope,  at  least  indirectly,  hath  a  supreme  power  even  in 
temporal  matters. 

This  opinion,  so  common,  doth  not,  I  say,  in  effect  and 
practical  consideration,  anywise  differ  from  the  former  ;  but 
only  in  words  devised  to  shun  envy,  and  veil  the  impudence 
of  the  other  assertion :  for  the  qualifications,  by  reason  of 
the  spiritual  power,  and  at  least  indirectly,  are  but  notional, 
insignificant,  and  illusive,  in  regai'd  to  practice :  it  import- 
ing not,  if  he  hath  in  his  keeping  a  sovereign  power,  upon 
what  account,  or  in  what  formality  he  doth  employ  it ;  see- 
ing that  every  matter  is  easily  referable  to  a  spiritual  ac- 
count ;  seeing  he  is  sole  judge  upon  what  account  he  doth 
act ;  seeing  experience  showeth  that  he  will  spiritualize  all 
his  interests,  and  upon  any  occasion  exercise  that  pretended 
authority  ;  seeing  it  little  mattereth,  if  he  may  strike 
princes,  whether  he  doth  it  by  a  downright  blow,  or  slantingly. 

§  IV.  That  such  an  universal  and  absolute  power*hath 
been  claimed  by  divers  popes,  successively  for  many  ages,  is 
apparent  from  their  most  solemn  declarations  and  notorious 
practices ;  whereof  (beginning  from  later  times,  and  rising 
upwards  toward  the  source  of  this  doctrine)  we  shall  repre- , 
sent  some. 

The  bull  of  Pope  Sixtus  V.  against  the  two  sons  of  wrath, 
Henry,  king  of  Navarre,  and  the  prince  of  Gondii,  beginneth 
thus:  "The  authority  given  to  St.  Peter  and  his  successors, 
by  the  immense  power  of  the  eternal  King,  excels  all  the 
powers  of  earthly  kings  and  princes  —  it  passes  uncontrolla- 
ble '  sentence  upon  them  all  —  and  if  it  find  any  of  them 
resisting  God's  ordinance,  it  takes  more  severe  vengeance  of 
them,  casting  them  down  from  their  thrones,  though  never  so 
puissant,  and  tumbling  them  down  to  the  lowest  parts  of  the 
earth,  as  the  ministers  of  aspiring  Lucifer."  And  then  he 
proceeds  to  thunder  against  them,  "  We  deprive  them  and 
their  posterity  for  ever  of  their  dominions  and  kingdoms  ;  " 
and  accordingly  he  depriveth  those  princes  of  their  kingdoms 

20 


230  THE   CATHOLIC. 

and  dominions,  absolveth  their  subjects  from  their  oaths  of 
allegiance,  and  forbiddeth  them  to  pay  any  obedience  to 
them.^  "  By  the  authority  of  these  presents,  we  do  absolve 
and  set  free  all  persons,  as  well  jointly  as  severally,  from 
any  such  oath,  and  from  all  duty  whatsoever  in  regard  of 
dominion,  fealty,  and  obedience ;  and  do  charge  and  forbid 
all  and  every  of  them,  that  they  do  not  dare  to  obey  them,  or 
any  of  their  admonitions,  laws,  and  commands." 

Pope  Pius  V.  (one  of  the  holiest  popes  of  the  last  stamp, 
who  hardly  hath  escaped  canonization  until  now)^  beginneth 
his  bull  against  our  Queen  Elizabeth  in  these  words  :  ®  "  He 
that  reigneth  on  high,  to  whom  is  given  all  power  in  heaven 
and  in  earth,  hath  committed  the  one  holy  catholic  and  apos- 
tolic church,  out  of  which  there  is  no  salvation,  to  one  alone 
on  earth,  namely,  to  Peter,  prince  of  the  apostles,  and  to  the 
Roman  pontiff^  successor  of  Peter,  to  be  governed  with  a 
plenitude  of  power :  this  one  he  hath  constituted  prince  over 
all  nations  and  all  kingdoms,  that  he  might  pluck  up,  destroy, 
dissipate,  ruinate,  plant,  and  build."  And  in  the  same  bull 
he  declares,  that  "  he  thereby  deprives  the  queen  of  her  pre- 
tended right  to  the  kingdom,  and  of  all  dominion,  dignity, 
and  privilege  whatsoever;  and  absolves  all  the  nobles, 
subjects,  and  people  of  the  kingdom,  and  whoever  else  have 
sworn  to  her,  from  their  oath,  and  all  duty  whatsoever,  in  re- 
gard of  dominion,  fidelity,  and  obedience." 

Pope  Clement  VI.  did  pretend  to  depose  the  emperor 
Lewis  IV. 

Pope  Clement  V.  in  the  great  synod  of  Vienna,  declared 
the  emperor  subject  to  him,  or  standing  obliged  to  him  by  a 
proper  oath  of  fealty.* 

Pope  Boniface  VIII.  hath  a  decree  extant  in  the  canon 

1  Bulla  Sixti  V.  contra  Hcnr.  Nararr.  R.  etc. 

2  Biiet.  Clir.  anno  1572. 

8  P.  Pius  V.  in  Bull,  contra  R.  Eliz.  (Camb.  Hist,  anno  1570.) 
*  Clem.  lib.  ii.  tit.  9.    Vide  Cone.  Vienn.  p.  909. 


APPENDIX.  231 

law  running  thus  :  *  "  We  declare,  say,  define,  pronounce  it 
to  be  of  necessity  to  salvation,  for  every  human  creature  to 
be  subject  to  the  Roman  pontiff."  The  which  subjection, 
according  to  his  intent,  reacheth  all  matters ;  for  he  there 
challengeth  a  double  sword,  and  asserteth  to  himself  jurisdic- 
tion over  all  temporal  authorities :  for  ^  "  One  sword,"  saith 
he,  "  must  be  under  another,  and  the  temporal  authority  must 
be  subject  to  the  spiritual  power  ;  ^—  whence,  if  the  earthly 
power  doth  go  astray,  it  must  be  judged  by  the  spiritual 
power."  The  which  aphorisms  he  proveth  by  Scriptures  ad- 
mirably expounded  to  that  purpose. 

This  definition  might  pass  for  a  rant  of  that  boisterous 
pope,**  (a  man  above  measure  ambitious  and  arrogant,) 
vented  in  his  passion  against  King  Philip  of  France,  if  it 
had  not  the  advantage  (of  a  greater  than  which  no  papal 
decree  is  capable)  of  being  expressly  confirmed  by  one  of 
their  general  councils ;  for  *  "  We  (saith  Pope  Leo  X.  in  his 
bull  read  and  passed  in  the  Lateran  council)  do  renew  and 
approve  that  holy  constitution,  with  approbation  of  tlf^  present 
holy  council."  Accorflingly  Melch.  Canus  saith,^  "  that  the 
Lateran  council  did  renew  and  approve  that  extravagant 
(indeed  extravagant)  constitution  : "  and  Baronius  saith  of  it, 
"  that  ®  all  do  assent  to  it,  so  that  none  dissenteth,  who  doth 
not  by  discord  fall  from  the  church." 

The  which  authority  was  avowed  by  that  great  council 
under  this  pope,'  (the  which,  according  to  the  men  of  Trent, 
did  represent  or  constitute  the  church,)  wherein  it  was  or- 
dained, that  if  a  temporal  lord,  being  required  and  admon- 
ished by  the  church,  should  neglect  to  purge  his  territory 

1  Extrav.  com.  lib,  i.  tit.  8,  cap.  I. 

2  Ibid. 

3  Binius  in  Vita  Bonif.  VIII. 

*  Concil.  Lateran.  sess.  xi.  p.  153, 

^  Canus,  loc.  vi.  4. 

6  Baron.  Ann.  1053,  §  14. 

^  Cone.  Later,  cap.  3,  in  Decret.  Greg.  lib.  v.  tit.  7,  cap.  13. 


232  THE   CATHOLIC. 

from  heretical  filth,  he  should  by  the  metropolitan  and  the 
other  comprovincial  bishops  be  noosed  in  the  band  of  ex- 
communication ;  and  that  if  he  should  slight  to  make  satis- 
faction within  a  year,  it  should  be  signified  to  the  pope,  that 
he  might  from  that  time  denounce  the  subjects  absolved 
from  their  fealty  to  him,  and  expose  the  teiritory  to  be  seized 
on  by  catholics,  etc. 

Before  that,  Pope  Paschal  11.  deprived  Henry  IV.  and 
excited  enemies  to  persecute  him ;  ^  telling  them,  that  they 
could  not  offer  a  more  acceptable  sacrifice  to  God,  than  by 
impugning  him,  who  endeavored  to  take  the  kingdom  from 
God's  church. 

Before  him,  Pope  Urban  II.  (called  Turban  by  some  in 
his  age)  did  preach  this  doctrine,  recommended  to  us  iij  the 
decrees,  that  ^  subjects  are  by  no  authority  constrained  to 
pay  the  fidelity  which  they  have  sworn  to  a  Christian  prince, 
who  opposeth  God  and  his  saints,  or  violateth  their  precepts. 
An  instance  whereof  we  have  in  his  granting  a  privilege  to 
the  canqps  of  Tours ;  ^  which,  saith  he,  "  if  any  emperor, 
king,  prince,  etc.  shall  wilfully  attempt  to  thwart,  let  him 
be  deprived  of  the  dignity  of  his  honor  and  power." 

But  the  great  apostle  (if  not  author)  of  this  confounding 
doctrine  was  Pope  Gregory  VII.  (a  man  of  a  bold  spirit 
and  fiery  temper,  inured  even  before  his  entry  on  that  see 
to  bear  sway,  and  drive  on  daring  projects ;  possessed  with 
resolution  to  use  the  advantages  of  his  place  and  time  in 
pushing  forward  the  papal  interest  to  the  utmost,)  who  did 
lift  up  his  voice  like  a  trumpet,  kindling  wars  and  seditions 
thereby  over  Christendom.  His  dictates  and  practices  are 
well  known,  being  iterated  in  his  own  epistles,  and  in  the 
Roman  councils  under  him,  extant :  yet  it  may  be  worth  the 
while  to  hear  him  swagger  in  his  own  language. 

1  P.  Pasch.  Ep.  vii.  ad  Rob.  Fland.  Com. 

2  Caus.  XV.  qu.  7,  cap.  5. 
>»  P.  Uib.II.Ep.  12. 


APPENDIX.  233 

"  For  the  dignity  and  defence  of  God's  holy  church,  in 
the  name  of  Almighty  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  I  depose  from  imperial  and  royal  administration, 
king  Henry,  son  of  Henry  sometime  emperor,  who  too 
boldly  and  rashly  hath  laid  hands  on  thy  church ;  and  I  ab- 
solve all  Christians  subject  to  the  empii-e  from  that  oath 
whereby  they  were  wont  to  plight  their  faith  unto  true 
kings  :  for  it  is  right  that  he  should  be  deprived  of  dignity, 
who  doth  endeavor  to  diminish  the  majesty  of  the  church."  * 


OATH  OF  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  BISHOPS, 

AS   PUBLISHED    IN   THE    ROMAN   PONTIFICAL,  PKEPABED   BY    ORDER    OF 
POPE  CLEMENT  VII.    SANCTIONED  ALSO  BY  COUNCIL  OF  TRENT.* 

"  I  — ,  elect  of  the  church  of  — ,  froip  henceforward  will 
be  faitliful  and  obedient  to  St,  Peter  the  apostle,  and  to  the 
holy  Roman  church,  and  to  pur  lord,  the  lord  —  pope  — 
and  to  his  successors,  canonically  coming  in.  I  will  neither 
advise,  consent,  or  do  any  thing  that  they  may  lose  life  or 
member,  or  that  their  persons  may  be  seized,  or  hands  any- 
wise laid  upon  them,  or  any  injuries  offered  to  them,  under 
any  pretence  whatsoever.  The  counsel  which  they  shall 
intrust  me  withal,  by  themselves,  their  messengers,  or  letters, 
I  will  not  knowingly  j-eveal  to  any  to  their  prejudice.  I 
will  help  them  to  defend  and  keep  the  Eoman  papacy,  and 
the  royalties  of  St.  Peter,  saving  my  order,  against  all  men. 
The  legate  of  the  apostolic  see,  going  and  coming,  I  will 

1  Plat,  in  Greg.  VII.  et  torn.  7,  Cone.  Horn.  iii.  apud  Bin.  p.  484. 

2  For  this  see  Barrow's  works,  Vol.  VII.  p.  46,  Ponti.  Rom.  Ant- 
werp, A.  D.  1626,  p.  59,  86,  and  Cons.  Trid.  sess.  x.xiv.  Chap.  XII., 
•which  provided  tliat  every  beneficed  clergyman  should  row  and  swear 
to  abide  in  obedience  to  the  Roman  church. 

20* 


234  THE   CATHOLIC. 

honorably  treat  and  help  in  his  necessities.  The  rights, 
honors,  privileges,  and  authority  of  the  holy  Roman  church, 
of  our  lord  the  pope,  and  his  foresaid  successors,  I  will  en- 
deavor to  preserve,  defend,  increase,  and  advance.  I  will 
not  be  in  any  counsel,  action,  or  treaty,  in  Avhich  shall  be 
plotted  against  our  said  lord,  and  the  said  Roman  church, 
any  thing  to  the  hurt  or  prejudice  of  their  persons,  right, 
honor,  state,  or  power  ;  and  if  I  shall  know  any  such  thing 
to  be  treated  or  agitated  by  any  whatsoever,  I  will  hinder  it 
to  my  power ;  and  as  soon  as  I  can  will  signify  it  to  our 
said  lord,  or  to  some  other^  by  whom  it  may  come  to  his 
knowledge.  The  rules  of  the  holy  fathers,  the  apostolic 
decrees,  ordinances,  or  disposals,  reservations,  provisions, 
and  mandates,  I  will  observe  with  all  my  might,  and  cause 
to  be  observed  by  others.  Heretics,  schismatics,  and  rebels 
to  our  said  lord,  or  his  foresaid  successors,  I  will  to  my  power 
persecute  and  oppose.  '  I  will  come  to  a  council  when  I  am 
called,  unless  I  be  hindered  by  a  canonical  impediment.  I 
will  by  myself  in  person  visit  the  threshold  of  the  apostles 
every  three  years ;  and  give  an  account  to  our  lord  and  his 
foresaid  successors  of  all  my  pastoral  office,  and  of  all 
things  anywise  belonging  to  the  state  of  my  church,  to  the 
discipline  of  my  clergy  and  people,  and  lastly  to  the  salva- 
tion of  souls  committed  to  my  trust ;  and  will  in  like  man- 
ner humbly  receive  and  diligently  execute  the  apostolic 
commands.  And  if  I  be  detained  by  a  lawful  impediment, 
I  will  perform  all  the  things  aforesaid  by  a  certain  messen- 
ger hereto  specially  empowered,  a  member  of  my  chapter, 
or  some  other  in  ecclesiastical  dignity,  or  else  having  a  par- 
sonage ;  or  in  default  of  these,  by  a  priest  of  the  diocese ; 
or  in  default  of  one  of  the  clergy,  [of  the  diocese,]  by  some 
other  secular  or  regular  priest  of  approved  integrity  and 
religion,  fully  instructed  in  all  things  above  mentioned. 
And  such  impediment  I  will  make  out  by  lawful  proofs  to 
bo  transmitted  by  the  foresaid  messenger  to  the  cardinal 


APPENDIX.  235 

proponent  of  the  holy  Roman  church  in  the  congregation  of 
the  sacred  council.  The  possessions  belonging  to  my  table 
I  will  neither  sell,  nor  give  away,  nor  mortgage,  nor  grant 
anew  in  fee,  nor  anywise  alienate,  no,  not  even  with  the 
consent  of  the  chapter  of  my  church,  without  consulting  the 
Roman  pontiff.  And  if  I  shall  make  any  alienation,  I  will 
thereby  incur  the  penalties  contained  in  a  certain  constitu- 
tion put  forth  about  this  matter.  So  help  me  God  and  these 
holy  Gospels  of  God. 

Such,  says  Barrow,  is  the  oath  prescribed  to  bishops,  the 
which  is  worth  the  most  serious  attention  of  all  men,  who 
would  understand  how  miserably  slavish  the  condition  of 
the  clergy  is  in  that  church,  and  how  inconsistent  their 
obligation  to  the  pope  is  with  their  duty  to  their  prince. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  PASCAL.^ 


INTRODUCTION. 

"  The  name  of  Pascal  (that  prodigy  of  parts,  as  Locke 
calls  him,")  says  Mr.  Dugald  Stewart,^  "  is  more  familiar 
to  modern  ears  than  that  of  any  of  the  other  learned  and 
polished  anchorites  who  have  rendered  the  sanctuary  of 
Port-Royal  so  illustrious.  Abstracting  from  his  great  merit 
in  mathematics  and  in  physics,  his  reputation  rests  chiefly 
on  the  '  Provincial  Letters  ;  '  a  work  from  which  Voltaire, 
notwithstanding  his  strong  prejudices  against  the  author, 
dates  the  fixation  of  the  French  language ;  and  of  which 
the  same  excellent  judge  has  said,  *  Moliere's  best  come- 
dies DO  NOT  EXCEL  THEM  IN  WIT,  NOR  THE  COMPOSITIONS 
OP   BOSSUET  IN  SUBLIMITY,'  " 

"  A  considerable  portion  of  the  merit  of  this  perfoi'mance, 
consists  in  the  ingenious  manner  in  which  Pascal  has  brought 
together  the  extravagant  maxims  of  the  principal  Jesuitical 
writers,  so  as  to  make  them  appear  truly  ridiculous.  He 
does  not,  as  Voltaire,  (who,  otherwise,  bestows  upon  him 
great  praise,)  insinuates,  collect  his  citations  from  a  few  in- 
dividuals, whose  sentiments  are  unwarrantably  adduced  as 
a  fair  specimen  of  the  principles  of  the  whole  society,  for 
he  uniformly  appeals  to  the  very  best  of  their  writers, 
and  particularly  to  the  twenty-four  elders  who  were  so  des- 

1  The  bishop  of  Lucon,  son  of  the  celebrated  Bussy,  told  me,  that 
asking  one  day  the  bishop  of  Meaux  what  work  he  would  covet  most 
to  be  the  autlior  of  supposing  his  own  performances  set  aside,  Bos- 
suet  replied,  Tlie  Provincial  Letters.  Examples  of  all  the  species  of 
eloquence  abound  in  them. —  Voltaire. 

'^  Supplement  to  Encyc.  Brit.  Vol.  T.  p.  1. 
(2.36) 


APPENDIX.  237 

ignated  on  account  of  the  entire  confidence  which  the  whole 
body  of  the  Jesuits  reposed  in  their  statements.  In  fact, 
Pascal  adopted  no  other  than  the  usual  and  authorized 
method  of  obtaining  the  real  opinions  of  any  extensive  so- 
ciety. If  their  own  pubhcations  —  the  publications  of  their 
most  eminent  men ;  be  not  the  proper  standard  of  appeal, 
by  what  other  means  can  their  opinions  be  obtained  ?  Be- 
sides, none  of  their  writings  were  issued  without  the  sanction 
of  the  superiors  of  their  order." 


PROVINCIAL  LETTERS.— LETTER  XV.     • 

THE  JESUITS  OMIT  CALUMNY  IN   THEIR   CATALOGUE  OF  CRIMES,  AND 
MAKE   NO   SCRUPLE    OP   USING    IT   AGAINST   THEIR   ENEMIES. 

November  25,  1656. 

Reverend  Fathers  :  — As  your  impostures  are  daily 
increasing,  and  you  make  use  of  them  to  scandalize  in  so 
cruel  a  manner  all  persons  of  piety  who  oppose  your  errors, 
I  feel  myself  obliged,  on  their  account,  and  for  the  service 
of  the  church,  to  expose  a  part  of  your  mysterious  conduct, 
which  I  promised  to  do  some  time  since,  that  it  may  be  fully 
known,  from  your  own  maxims,  what  reliance  may  be  placed 
upon  your  accusations  and  injurious  conduct. 

I  am  well  aware,  that  persons  who  are  not  sufficiently  ac- 
quainted with  you,  feel  it  extremely  difficult  to  come  to  any 
decision  upon  this  subject,  because  they  are  necessitated 
either  to  believe  those  incredible  crimes  of  which  you  accuse 
your  enemies,  or  to  deem  you  impostors,  which  would  seem 
equally  incredible.  If  these  things  were  untrue,  say  they, 
would  a  religious  society  publish  them  —  thus  resisting  the 
dictates  of  conscience,  and  giving  themselves  up  by  such  atro- 
cious calumnies  to  damnation  ?  In  this  manner  they  reason ; 
so  that  obvious  and  striking  as  are  the  proofs  by  which  your 


238  THE   CATHOLIC. 

falsities  are  exposed,  yet  being  so  diametrically  opposed  to 
the  opinion  they  cherish  of  your  sincerity,  they  are  held  in 
suspense  between  the  evidence  of  the  truth,  which  they  can- 
not deny,  and  the  duty  of  charity  which  they  are  apprehensive 
of  violating.  As,  therefore,  the  only  hindrance  to  their  rejec- 
tion of  your  scandal,  is  their  respect  for  your  character,  if  they 
should  find  that  you  really  do  not  entertain  that  bad  opinion 
of  calumny,  for  which  they  give  you  credit,  but  think  it  to  be 
no  impediment  to  your  salvation,  no  doubt  the  force  of  truth 
will  immediately  determine  them  to  disbelieve  your  impo- 
sitions.    You  see,  fathers,  the  subject  of  the  present  letter. 

It  is  my  purpose  to  advance  a  step  further  than  merely  to 
show  that  your  writings  are  replete  with  calumnious  rep- 
resentations. Falsehoods  may  be  stated  under  an  impres- 
sion that  they  are  truths,  but  lying  is  characterized  by  the 
intention  to  deceive.  I  shall  show  that  you  design  to  de- 
ceive an^  calumniate,  and  that  you  purposely  impute 
crimes  to  your  enemies,  of  which  you  know  that  they  are 
perfectly  innocent,  because  you  believe  it  may  be  done 
without  falling  from  a  state  of  grace.  And  though  you  may 
be  as  well  acquainted  as  myself  with  this  point  of  your  mo- 
rality, I  shall  beg  permission  to  state  it,  that  no  further  doubt 
may  exist,  by  showing  that  I  challenge  you  personally  and 
individually  on  the  subject,  without  even  your  being  able  to 
deny  it,  with  all  your  assurance,  unless  at  the  same  time 
you  own  that  for  which  I  reproached  you.  For  this  is  a 
doctrine  so  common  in  your  schools,  that  you  have  not 
only  maintained  it  in  your  writings,  but  even  in  your 
pubhc  theses,  which  is  an  act  of  the  utmost  presumption ; 
as  for  example,  in  that  of  Lou  vain,  in  the  year  1645, 
in  the  following  words  :  "  It  is  only  a  venial  sin  to  calum- 
niate and  ruin  the  credit  of  such  as  speak  evil  of  you, 
by  accusing  them  of  false  crimes,  —  quidni  non  nisi  ve- 
niale  sit,  detrahentis  autoritatem  magnam  tibi  noxiam  falso 
crimine  elidere  ?  "     This  doctrine  is  so  current  amongst  you, 


APPENDIX.  239 

that  whoever  dares  to  attack  it,  you  treat  as  an  ignoramus 
and  a  stupid  fellow. 

Not  long  ago,  this  took  place  in  regard  to  Father  Quiroga, 
a  German  capuchin,  who  opposed  this  doctrine,  and  was  im- 
mediately attacked  by  Father  Dicastillus,  who  speaks  of 
this  dispute  in  these  terms  :  ^  "  A  certain  grave  friar,  bare- 
footed, and  deep  cowled,  (cucuUatus,  gymnopoda,)  whose 
name  I  shall  conceal,  had  the  temerity  to  decry  this  opinion 
amongst  some  women  and  ignorant  people,  as  pernicious 
and  scandalous,  contrary  to  good-manners,  and  subversive  of 
the  peace  of  states  and  societies,  and  opposed  not  only  to  all 
the  catholic  doctors,  but  to  all  who  may  become  so.  But  I 
have  maintained  against  him,  and  still  maintain,  that  calum- 
ny, when  made  use  of  against  a  calumniator,  though  it  be  a  lie, 
yet  is  not  a  mortal  sin,  nor  contrary  to  justice  or  charity  ; 
and,  as  a  demonstration  of  this,  I  furnished  him  with  a  crowd 
of  our  fathers,  and  whole  universities  whom  I  consulted ; 
among  others,  the  reverend  father  John  Gans,  confessor  to 
the  emperor ;  the  reverend  father  Daniel  Bastele,  confessor 
to  the  Archduke  Leopold  ;  Father  Henry,  who  was  the  tutor 
of  these  two  princes  ;  all  the  public  and  ordinary  professors 
of  the  University  of  Vienna  (consisting  entirely  of  Jesuits)  ; 
all  the  professors  of  the  University  of  Gratz  (all  Jesuits)  ; 
all  the  professors  of  the  University  of  Prague  (of  which  the 
Jesuits  are  masters)  ;  from  all  of  whom,  I  have  in  my  pos- 
session, a  written,  signed,  and  sealed  approbation  of  my 
opinion  ;  in  addition  to  which,  I  have  Father  Pennalossa,  a 
Jesuit,  preacher  to  the  emperor  and  the  king  of  Spain ; 
Father  Pilliceroli,  a  Jesuit,  and  many  others,  who  have  all 
judged  this  opinion  probable,  previous  to  our  dispute."  You 
see,  fathers,  there  are  few  opinions  which  you  have  taken  so 
much  pains  to  establish ;  and,  in  fact,  there  are  few  which  are 
so  serviceable  to  you.  For  this  reason,  you  have  impressed 
so  much  authority  upon  it,  that  your  casuists  have  made  use 

1  De  Just.  1.  II.,  Tr.  2,  Disp.  12,  n.  404. 


240  THE   CATHOLIC. 

of  it  as  an  indubitable  principle.  "  It  is  certain,"  says  Cara- 
muel,  n.  1151,  "  it  is  a  probable  opinion,  that  it  is  no  moi-tal 
sin  to  bring  a  false  accusation  for  the  sake  of  preserving 
one's  honor:  for  it  is  maintained  by  upwards  of  twenty 
grave  doctors,  Gaspar,  Hurtado,  Dicastillus,  etc.  Hence,  if 
this  doctrine  be  not  probable,  there  is  scarcely  any  one  that 
is  so  in  the  whole  system  of  divinity." 

O,  what  an  execrable  system  is  this,  and  how  utterly  cor- 
rupt in  all  its  main  points  and  principles, —  that  if  this  doc- 
trine be  not  probable  and  safe  in  conscience,  "  that  a  person 
may  be  accused  falsely  in  order  to  preserve  one's  honor,"  there 
is  scarcely  any  one  that  is  !  What  can  be  more  probable, 
fathers,  than  that  those  who  hold  this  principle  should  some- 
times put  it  in  practice  ?  The  depraved  passions  of  man- 
kind hurry  them  on  with  such  impetuosity,  that  it  is  incon- 
ceivable, when  all  conscientious  scruples  are  done  away,  how 
violently  they  proceed.  For  instance,  Caramuel  writes,  in 
the  same  place,  "  This  maxim  of  Father  Dicastillus,  the 
Jesuit,  respecting  calumny,  was  taught  by  a  German  count- 
ess to  the  daughter  of  the  empress,  who,  believing  that  cal- 
umnies were  but  venial  sins,  spread  abroad  so  many  scan- 
dals and  false  reports  every  day,  that  the  whole  court  was 
put  into  a  state  of  ferment  and  alarm.  It  is  easy  to  perceive 
the  use  they  made  of  it ;  so  that,  to  quiet  this  tumult,  it  was 
found  necessary  to  apply  to  a  good  father,  a  capuchin,  nam- 
ed Quiroga,  of  exemplaiy  conduct  (which  was  the  reason 
Father  Dicastillus  had  such  a  quarrel  with  him,)  who  told 
them  plainly  that  this  maxim  was  very  pei'nicious,  espe- 
cially as  held  by  women,  and  then  took  such  especial  care, 
that  the  empress  totally  abolished  the  practice  of  it." 

It  is  by  no  means  surprising  that  this  doctrine  should  have 
produced  some  bad  effects ;  it  would  have  been  more  so  had 
it  been  otherwise.  Self-love  is  always  ready  to  persuade 
us  that  an  attack  made  upon  ourselves  is  unjust;  much 
more  you,  fathers,  who  are  so  blinded  by  vanity,  that  you 


APPENDIX.  241 

would  make  all  the  world  believe,  from  your  writings,  that 
an  injury  attempted  against  your  society,  is  an  injury  done 
to  the  honor  of  the  church ;  and  thus  it  would  be  strange,  if 
you  were  not  to  put  this  maxim  in  practice.  We  must  not 
say,  as  those  who  do  not  know  you  do,  —  how  is  it  these 
good  fathers  calumniate  their  enemies,  since  it  is  endanger- 
ing their  own  salvation  ?  but  we  must  say,  on  the  contrary, 
—  how  is  it  that  these  good  fathers  would  lose  any  oppor- 
tunity of  decrying  their  enemies,  when  they  can  do  it  with- 
out risking  their  own  safety  ?  Let  us,  then,  no  longer  be 
astonished  at  finding  the  Jesuits  calumniators:  they  are 
so  with  a  safe  conscience,  and  cannot  be  otherwise ;  since, 
by  the  credit  they  have  acquired  in  the  world,  they  may 
revile  others  without  any  apprehension  from  the  justice  of 
men,  and  by  that  which  they  have  acquired  in  cases  of  con- 
science, they  have  estabhshed  maxims,  by  which  they  are 
empowered  to  do  as  they  choose,  without  dreading  the  jus- 
tice of  God. 

Such,  fathers,  is  the  origin  of  so  many,  base  impostures. 
From  this  source,  your  father  Brisacier  drew,  till  he  brought 
upon  himself  the  censure  of  the  archbishop  of  Paris.  It 
was  this  which  led  your  father  d'Anjou,  openly  in  the  pulpit 
of  the  church  of  St.  Benedict  at  Paris,  on  the  eighth  of 
March,  1 655,  to  decry  those  persons  of  quality  who  received 
the  subscriptions  for  the  poor  of  Picardy  and  Champagne, 
to  which  they  had  so  liberally  contributed  themselves ;  and 
to  declare  (which  was  a  horrible  falsehood,  and  enough  to 
have  destroyed  all  charity,  had  your  impostures  obtained 
any  kind  of  credit,)  "  that  he  knew  for  certain  that  these 
persons  had  misapplied  this  money,  to  employ  it  against  the 
church  and  state ;  which  obliged  the  curate  of  the  parish,  a 
doctor  of  the  Sorboune,  to  preach  next  day,  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  confuting  these  calumnious  representations. 
Your  father  Crasset,  upon  the  same  pri^ple,  published  from 
the  pulpit  so  many  impostures  in  Orleans,  which  rendered 
21 


242  THE  CATHOLIC. 

it  necessary  for  the  bishop  to. interdict  him  as  a  public  im- 
postor, by  a  mandate  of  the  ninth  of  September  last,  in 
which  he  declares,  "  that  he  prohibits  brother  John  Crasset, 
priest  of  the  society  of  Jesus,  from  preaching  in  his  diocese ; 
and  *all  the  people  from  hearing  him,  under  pain  of  being 
guilty  of  a  mortal  disobedience;  he  having  been  appi'ised 
that  the  said  Crasset  had  delivered  a  discourse  from  the 
pulpit,  full  of  falsehoods  and  calumnies  against  the  clergy 
of  that  city,  falsely  and  maliciously  charging  them  with  main- . 
taining  such  heretical  propositions  as  these  —  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  keep  the  commandments  of  God  —  that  internal 
grace  is  irresistible  —  and  that  Christ  did  not  die  for  all 
men,  with  others  of  a  similar  nature,  condemned  by  Innocent 
X."  This,  fathers,  is  your  ordinary  imposture,  and  the  first 
with  Avhich  you  attack  those  whom  you  deem  it  important 
to  decry.  And  though  it  be  as  impossible  to  prove  your 
charges,  as  it  is  for  father  Crasset  to  substantiate  his  against 
the  clergy  of  Orleans,  your  conscience  is  quite  easy,  "  be- 
cause you  believe  that  this  mode  of  detraction  is  so  certain- 
ly allowable,"  that  you  are  not  afraid  to  declare  it  openly  in 
the  face  of  a  whole  city. 

A  remarkable  instance  of  this  occurred  in  your  disagree- 
ment with  M.  Puys,  a  clergyman  of  St.  Nisier,  at  Lyons ; 
and,  as  this  affair  furnishes  a  complete  illustration  of  your 
spirit,  I  shall  relate  the  principal  circumstances.  You  know, 
fatliers,  that  in  1649,  Mr.  Puys  translated  an  excellent  work, 
written  by  another  capuchin,  into  French,  "  On  the  duty  of 
Christians  to  their  own  parishes,  against  those  who  wished 
to  entice  them  away,"  —  without  using  any  invectives,  and 
without  either  pointing  at  any  religious  order  or  individual. 
Your  fiithers,  however,  took  it  to  themselves,  and  paying  no 
respect  to  an  aged  pastor,  a  judge  in  the  primacy  of  France, 
and  mucli  honored  by  the  Avhole  city,  your  father  Alby  wrote 
a  violent  pliilippia^l^ainst  him,  Avhich  you  yourselves  sold 
in  your  own  church  on  Assumption-day ;  in  which,  amongst 


APPENDIX.  243 

other  charges,  he  was  accused  of  "  becoming  scandalous  by  his 
gallantries,  of  being  suspected  of  impiety,  of  being  a  heretic, 
an  excommunicated  person,  and  deserving  to  be  burned 
alive."  To  this  M.  Puys  replied  ;  but  father  Alby,  in  a 
second  publication,  persisted  in  his  former  criminations.  Is 
it  not  then  evident,  fathers,  either  that  you  must  be  calum- 
niators, or  that  you  believed  all  the  charges  brought  against 
the  good  priest ;  and  therefore  that  it  was  needful  that  you 
should  have  seen  him  fully  exculpated  before  you  deemed 
him  worthy  of  your  friendship  ?  Attend  now  to  what  passed 
at  the  reconciliation,  in  presence  of  a  great  multitude  of  the 
most  distinguished  persons  of  the  city,  whose  names  are  in- 
serted below,  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  placed  in  the 
paper  drawn  up  on  the  25th  of  September,  1650.^  In  the 
presence  of  this  assembly,  M.  Puys  made  no  other  declara- 
tion than  the  following  ;  "  that  what  he  had  written  was  not 
intended  for  the  Jesuits  —  that  he  had  spoken  in  general 
against  those  who  seduce  the  faithful  from  their  parishes, 
without  at  all  meaning  to  attack  their  society,  for  which,  on 
the  contrary,  he  cherished  a  high  regard."  This  is  in  itself 
sufficient,  with  regard  to  his  apostasy,  his  revilings,  and  his 
excommunication,  without  any  recantation  or  absolution. 
Father  Alby  afterwards  addressed  him  in  these  words : 
"  Sir,  my  conviction  that  you  attacked  the  society  to  which 
I  have  the  honor  to  belong,  induced  me  to  take  up  my  pen 
to  answer  you,  and  I  thought  my  manner  of  doing  it  was  allow- 
able ;  but  having  become  better  acquainted  with  your  inten- 

1  M.  do  Ville,  vicar-general  of  the  Cardinal  de  Lyon  ;  Mr.  Scarron, 
canon  and  minister  of  St.  Paul's  ;  M.  Margat,  chanter ;  Messrs.  Bou- 
vaud,  Seve,  Aubert,  and  Dervieu,  canons  of  St.  Nisier ;  M.  du  Gue, 
president  of  the  treasurers  of  France ;  ISI.  Groslier,  provost  of  the 
merchants  ;  M.  de  Flechcre,  president  and  lieutenant-general ;  Messrs. 
de  Boissat,  de  St.  Romain,  and  de  Bai'toly,  gentlemen ;  M.  Burgeois, 
king's  chief  advocate  in  the  treasury-office  of  France ;  Messrs.  de 
Cotton,  father  and  son ;  M.  Boniel ;  who  all  signed  the  original  dec- 
laration with  M.  Puys  and  Father  Alby. 


244  THE   CATHOLIC. 

tion,  I  now  declare,  that  there  exists  nothing  \<i\\\c^\  can  prevent 
my  esteeming  you  as  a  person  of  a  very  enlightened  under- 
standing, of  a  profound  and  orthodox  faith,  of  irreproachable 
morals,  and  in  one  word,  a  worthy  pastor  of  your  church. 
This  declaration  I  make  with  high  satisfaction,  and  beg  these 
gentlemen  to  remember  it." 

In  truth,  fathers,  these  gentlemen  remember  it  perfectly 
well,  and  were  more  offended  at  your  reconciliation,  than 
at  your  quarrel.  For  who  does  not  admire  father  Alby's 
speech  ?  He  does  not  say  that  he  retracts  on  account  of  dis- 
covering M.  Puys  has  changed  his  behaviour  and  his  doc- 
trine, but  merely  "  because  he  found  that  it  was  not  his  in- 
tention to  attack  your  society,  so  that  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  him  from  being  a  good  catholic."  He  did  not,  there- 
fore, believe  him  to  be  a  heretic  at  all ;  nevertheless,  after 
accusing  him  of  it,  contrary  to  his  own  convictions,  he  does 
not  acknowledge  his  error,  but  dares,  on  the  contrary,  to 
affirm,  "  that  he  believes  the  manner  in  which  he  used  him 
was  allowable" 


THE  JESUITS  AND  THE  JANSENISTS.' 


The  primary  engagement  of  the  society  of  Jesuits  was, 
to  defend  the  interests  of  the  See  of  Rome ;  indeed  it  was 
instituted  for  that  very  purpose.  But  its  connection  witli 
France  and  the  house  of  Bourbon  had  become  so  strong 
and  intimate,  that  in  all  the  collisions  which  gradually  arose 
between  the  interests  of  Rome  and  those  of  France  it  almost 
invariably  took  the  side  of  the  lattei\  The  works  of  the 
Jesuits  were  sometimes  condemned  by  the  Inquisition  at 
Rome,  because  they  defended  too  vehemently  the  rights  of 
the  crown.  The  heads  of  the  French  Jesuits  avoided  all 
intercourse  with  the  pope's  nuncio,  for  fear  of  incurring  the 
suspicion  of  ultramontane  opinions.  Nor  in  other  respects 
had  the  See  of  Rome  much  reason  to  boast  of  the  obedience 
of  that  order  at  the  period  in  question ;  in  the  missions  es- 
pecially, the  pope's  decrees  were  almost  always  utterly  dis- 
regarded. 

Another  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Jesuits  was, 
the  renunciation  of  all  worldly  ties,  and  entire  devotion  to 
their  spiritual  duties.  The  rule  that  every  new  member 
should  renounce  all  he  possessed  on  his  admission,  had  for- 
merly been  most  strictly  enforced.  At  first  the  execution 
of  this  rule  Avas  delayed  for  a  time,  and  when  fulfilled,  it 
was  only  conditionally,  because  the  member  was  always 
liable  to  expulsion  ;  at  last  the  custom  was  introduced,  that 
a  member  should  make  over  his  property  to  the  society 

1  Extract  from  Ranke's  History  of  the  Popes,  p.  198  to  209. 
21  *  (245) 


246  THE   CATHOLIC. 

itself,  taking  care,  however,  that  it  should  always  fall  to  the 
share  of  the  particular  college  which  he  entered,  so  as  fre- 
quently to  keep  the  administration  of  it  in  his  own  hands, 
though  under  another  title.  It  frequently  happened  that 
the  members  of  the  colleges  had  more  leisure  time  than 
their  relations,  who  were  engaged  in  active  life,  and  there- 
fore managed  their  affairs,  received  their  money,  and  carried 
on  their  lawsuits. 

This  mercantile  spirit  became  predominant  even  in  the 
colleges  in  their  corporate  charactex'.  They  wished  to  secure 
to  themselves  the  possession  of  wealth ;  and  as  the  large 
donations  they  formerly  received  had  ceased,  they  sought  to 
effect  this  by  means  of  trade.  The  Jesuits  recognized  little 
distinction  between  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  which  had 
been  practised  by  the  earliest  monks,  and  those  commercial 
pursuits  to  which  they  addicted  themselves.  The  CoUegio 
Romano  had  a  manufactory  of  cloth  at  Macerata,  at  first 
merely  for  their  own  use,  then  for  all  the  colleges  in  the 
province,  and  at  last  for  general  consumption.  Their  agents 
frequented  the  fairs.  The  intimate  connection  subsisting 
between  the  different  colleges  contributed  to  establish  a  sys- 
tem of  money-changing ;  thus  the  Portuguese  minister  at 
Rome  was  authorized  to  draw  upon  the  Jesuits  of  his  own 
country.  In  the  colonies  especially,  their  commercial  specu- 
lations were  highly  successful ;  and  the  vast  web  of  their 
commercial  relations,  the  centre  of  which  was  Lisbon,  ex- 
tended over  both  continents. 

This  was  a  spirit,  which,  -when  once  called  into  activity, 
necessarily  affected  the  whole  internal  character  of  the 
society. 

The  Jesuits  always  formally  adhered  to  the  fundamental 
principle  of  giving  gratuitous  instruction.  But  they  re- 
ceived presents  on  the  entrance  of  any  pupil,  and  at  certain 
festivals  —  at  least  two  in  the  course  of  the  year ;  they 
were  chiefly  anxious  to  have  scholars  from  among  the  rich, 


APPENDIX.  247 

who  naturally  deriving  from  their  wealth  a  certain  feeling 
of  independence,  would  no  longer  submit  to  the  severity  of 
the  ancient  discipline.  A  Jesuit  who  raised  his  stick  against 
one  of  his  pupils,  received  in  return  a  stab  with  a  poignard,. 
and  a  young  man  in  Gubbio  who  thought  himself  treated 
with  too  much  severity  by  the  father  prefecto,  killed  him. 
In  Home  itself  the  disturbances  in  the  Collegio  furnished 
constant  matter  of  conversation  to  the  city  and  the  palace. 
On  one  occasion  the  tutors  were  kept  locked  up  a  whole 
day  by  their  scholars ;  and  at  length  the  rector  was  actually 
dismissed  in  compliance  with  their  demands.  These  were 
among  the  symptoms  of  a  univeral  struggle  between  the 
ancient  order  of  things  and  the  new  spirit ;  a  struggle  in 
which  the  latter  was  finally  victorious.  The  Jesuits  could 
no  longer  exercise  that  influence  over  the  minds  of  men 
which  they  had  formerly  possessed. 

But  indeed  it  was  no  longer  their  aim  to  subjugate  the 
world,  or  to  imbue  it  with  the  spirit  of  religion.  On  the 
contrary,  the  spirit  which  once  animated  them  had  fallen 
before  the  temptations  and  influences  of  the  world,  and 
their  sole  endeavor  now  was  to  make  themselves  necessary 
to  L^nkind,  let  the  means'be  what  they  might. 

■^3  this  end  they  not  only  accommodated  the  rules  of  their 
institute,  but  even  the  precepts  of  religion  and  morality. 
To  the  office  of  confession,  which  enabled  them  to  exercise 
so  immediate  an  influence  on  the  most  secret  recesses  of  do- 
mestic life,  they  gave  a  direction  which  will  be  memorable 
to  the  end  of  time. 

Of  this  we  possess  authentic  and  undoubted  proofs.  In 
numerous  elaborate  works  they  have  stated  and  expounded 
the  rules  which  they  observed  at  confession  and  absolution, 
and  which  they  prescribed  to  others.  These  rules  are  es- 
sentially the  same  as  those  with  which  they  have  been  so 
often  reproached.  Let  us  endeavor  to  understand  the  lead- 
ing principles,  by  pursuing  which,  they  acquired  such  exten- 
sive power. 


248  THE   CATHOLIC. 

In  confession  every  thing  must  inevitably  depend  upon  the 
conception  formed  of  transgression  and  of  sin. 

Sin  they  define  to  be  a  wilful  departure  from  the  com- 
•mands  of  God. 

And  in  what,  we  may  further  inquire,  consists  this  wilful- 
ness ?  Their  answer  is,  in  perfect  knowledge  of  the  nature 
of  the  sin  committed,  and  in  the  full  consent  of  the  will  to 
its  commission. 

They  adopted  this  principle  from  the  ambition  of  pro- 
pounding something  entirely  new,  combined  with  the  desire 
of  accommodating  themselves  to  the  common  practices  of 
mankind.  With  scholastic  subtlety,  and  with  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  various  cases  falling  within  its  scope, 
they  carried  out  this  principle  to  its  most  revolting  conse- 
quences. 

According  to  their  doctrine,  it  was  enough  not  to  will  the 
commission  of  sin,  as  such ;  the  less  the  sinner  thought  of 
God,  during  the  commission  of  his  offence,  and  the  more 
violent  the  passion  which  hurried  him  into  its  commission, 
the  greater  was  the  hope  of  pardon.  Habit,  or  even  bad 
example,  which  limit  the  freedom  of  the  will,  are  sufficient 
exculpations.  It  is  evident  how  infinitely  the  boun^ries 
of  transgression  were  thus  narrowed  ;  since  no  man  lovWsin 
for  itself.  They  also  recognized  other  grounds  of  excuse. 
For  example,  duelling  is  strictly  prohibited  by  the  church ; 
nevertheless  the  Jesuits  asserted,  that  if  any  man  were  in 
danger  of  being  held  a  coward,  or  of  losing  an  office  or  the 
favor  of  his  prince,  by  refusing  to  fight  a  duel,  he  was  not 
to  be  condemned  for  fighting.  Perjury  is  in  itself  a  deadly 
sin ;  but,  said  the  Jesuits,  a  man  who  only  swears  outwardly, 
without  inwardly  intending  what  he  swears,  is  not  bound  by 
his  oath  ;  for  he  does  not  swear,  he  jests. 

These  doctrines  are  to  be  found  in  works  which  expressly 
describe  themselves  as  moderate.  Who  would  wish  now,  as 
those  times  have  gone  by,  to  trace  further  the   tortuous 


APPENDIX.  249 

aberrations  of  a  subtlety  destructive  of  all  morality :  or  to 
explore  the  records  of  perverted  acuteness  in  which  these 
teachers  have  labored  with  all  the  ardor  of  literary  rivalry 
to  outdo  each  other  ?  But  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  most 
repulsive  maxims  of  individual  doctors,  are  rendered  most 
dangerous  by  another  principle  maintained  by  the  Jesuits, 
namely,  by  their  doctrine  of  probability.  They  maintained 
that  it  was  permitted  in  doubtful  cases  to  follow  an  opinion, 
of  the  justice  of  which  the  individual  himself  was  not  con- 
vinced—  supposing  always  that  it  was  defended  by  any 
author  of  credit;  they  held  it  not  only  allowable  to  be 
directed  by  the  most  indulgent  teachers,  they  even  recom- 
mended it.  Scruples  of  conscience  were  to  be  disregarded 
and  contemned  ;  indeed  the  true  way  to  free  the  mind  from 
them,  was  to  follow  the  most  tolerant  opinions,  even  if  they 
Avere  less  safe.  The  secret  operations  of  that  awful  tribunal 
which  is  established  in  the  inmost  depths  of  the  heart  of 
man,  were  thus  changed  into  mere  outward  acts.  A  slight 
turn  of  the  thoughts  was  held  to  exonerate  from  all. guilt. 
In  the  manuals  written  by  the  Jesuits  for  the  guidance  of 
their  novices,  all  the  possible  accidents  of  life  are  treated 
much  in  the  same  spirit  as  in  the  systems  of  civil  law,  and 
judged  according  to  the  gradations  of  their  veniality ;  it 
was  only  necessary  to  refer  to  these  books  and  follow  the 
directions  therein  contained,  without  any  individual  convic- 
tion, to  obtain  the  certainty  of  absolution  from  God  and  the 
church. 

With  a  singular  kind  of  simplicity  the  Jesuits  themselves 
were  sometimes  astonished  to  find  how  easy  the  yoke  of 
Christ  was  rendered  by  their  doctrines. 

12.   The  Jansenists. 

It  is  obvious  that  all  vitality  must  have  been  extinct  in 
the  Catholic  church,  if  some  opposition  had  not  instantly 


250  THE   CATHOLIC. 

arisen  to  these  most  corrupting  doctrines,  and  to  the  whole 
state  of  public  opinion  and  public  morals  of  which  they 
were  both  effect  and  cause. 

Most  of  the  orders  were  already  at  variance  with  the 
Jesuits ;  the  Dominicans  on  account  of  their  dissent  from 
Thomas  Aquinas,  the  Franciscans  and  Capuchins  on  account 
of  the  exclusive  power  which  the  Jesuits  claimed  in  the 
missions  of  further  Asia :  sometimes  they  were  attacked  by 
the  bishops,  whose  authority  they  lessened ;  at  other  times 
by  the  parish  priests  with  whose  duties  they  interfered ; 
even  in  the  universities,  especially  in  France  and  the 
Netherlands,  they  frequently  encountered  opposition.  But 
all  this  desultory  warfare  constituted  no  vigorous  or  effec- 
tive resistance,  which  indeed  could  only  spring  from  a  more 
profound  conviction,  quickened  by  a  fresher  spirit. 

For  the  moi*al  code  of  the  Jesuits  was  in  exact  accord- 
ance with  their  theological  dogmas ;  in  both  they  allowed 
great  scope  to  the  freedom  of  the  will. 

This,  however,  was  the  very  point  against  which  was 
directed  the  most  formidable  opposition  ever  encountered 
by  the  Jesuits,  the  origin  and  progress  of  which  were  as 
follows. 

During  those  years  in  which  the  disputes  concerning  the 
means  of  grace  kept  the  whole  body  of  theologians  of  the 
Catholic  church  in  a  state  of  constant  contention,  two  young 
men,  Cornelius  Jansen  of  Holland,  and  Jean  du  Verger  of 
Gascony,  were  pursuing  their  studies  at  Louvain ;  both  of 
whom,  actuated  by  an  equally  profound  conviction,  had 
espoused  the  more  rigid  doctrine  which  had  never  entirely 
disappeared  at  that  university,  and  had  conceived  an  intense 
hatred  to  the  Jesuits.  Du  Verger  was  the  superior  in  rank 
and  fortune ;  he  therefore  took  his  friend  with  him  to 
Bayonne.  There  they  devoted  themselves  to  a  profound 
and  unremitting  study  of  the  works  of  St.  Augustine,  and 
imbibed  for  the  doctrines  of  that  father  of  the  church  con- 


APPENDIX.  251 

cerning  grace  and  freewill,  an  enthusiasm  which  decided 
the  complexion  of  their  whole  remaining  lives.  While 
Jansenius  who  became  professor  at  Louvain  and  bishop  of 
Ypres,  labored  to  restore  the  influence  of  these  doctrines 
by  theoretical,  Du  Verger,  Avho  was  made  abbot  of  St. 
Cyran,  strove  to  accomplish  the  same  end  by  practical,  as- 
ceticism. 

The  book  entitled  Augustinus,  in  which  Jansenius  fully 
and  systematically  expounded  his  own  religious  creed,  is 
most  remai'kable  ;  not  only  as  boldly  assailing  the  moral 
code  and  religious  dogmas  of  the  Jesuits,  but  as  making  this 
assault  for  the  purpose  of  restoring  the  doctrines  of  grace, 
sin,  and  forgiveness,  which  had  degenerated  into  mere  tra- 
ditional formula},  to  the  efficacy  of  a  vital  faith. 

Jansenius  sets  out  from  the  principle  of  the  servitude  of 
man's  will ;  he  maintains  that  it  is  taken  captive  and  held 
in  bonds  by  the  desire  after  earthly  things,  and  unable  of 
its  own  strength  to  raise  itself  fi'om  that  condition;  grace 
must  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  will ;  that  grace  which 
is  not  so  much  remission  of  sins,  as  liberation  of  the  soul 
from  the  bonds  of  desire. 

"We  now  arrive  at  his  own  peculiar  views.  Grace,  he 
says,  is  manifested  by  that  higher  and  purer  pleasure  which 
was  felt  by  the  soul  in  godly  things.  The  effectual  grace 
of  the  Saviour  is  no  other  than  a  spiritual  delight,  by  which 
the  will  is  impelled  to  intend  and  to  perform  that  which  God 
has  decreed.  It  is  the  involuntary  impulse  given  by  God 
to  the  will^f  man,  in  consequence  of  which  he  takes  delight 
in  good,  and  is  moved  to  strive  after  its  attainment.  Jan- 
senius repeatedly  inculcates  the  maxim,  that  the  motive 
to  good  should  not  be  fear  of  punishment,  but  love  of  right- 
eousness. 

From  this  point  he  ascends  to  the  higher  question  —  what 
this  righteousness  is  ? 

The  answer  is,  God  himself. 


252  THE   CATHOIJC. 

For  we  must  not  figure  to  ourselves  God  under  a  bodily 
form,  nor  under  any  image,  not  even  that  of  the  light ;  Ave 
must  look  upon  him  and  love  him  as  the  Eternal  Truth, 
from  which  flows  all  truth  and  wisdom ;  as  Righteous- 
ness, not  considered  as  a  quality  of  the  soul,  but  as  an  Idea, 
a  supreme  inviolable  rule  existing  in  the  soul.  The  rules 
of  our  actions  have  their  origin  in  the  eternal  law,  and  are 
a  reflection  of  its  light;  whosoever  loveth  righteousness, 
loveth  God. 

Man  does  not  necessarily  become  good  by  directing  his 
mind  to  this  or  that  particular  virtue,  but  by  keeping  in 
view  the  one  immutable  supreme  Good,  which  is  truth,  which 
is  God  himself.     Virtue  is  the  love  of  God. 

In  this  very  love  consists  the  liberation  of  the  will ;  since 
its  inexpressible  sweetness  annihilates  the  pleasure  arising 
from  the  gratification  of  man's  evil  desires  ;  hence  arises  a 
voluntary  and  blissful  neces.sity  not  to  commit  sin,  but  to 
live  a  good  life  :  and  this  is  the  true  freewill  —  a  will  freed 
from  evil  and  exclusively  determined  by  good. 

The  degree  to  which  the  dogmatical  deductions  in  this 
work  are  developed  with  all  the  clearness  of  philosophical 
argument,  in  the  midst  of  the  polemical  zeal  of  hostile  dis- 
cussion, is  worthy  of  admiration :  the  fundamental  ideas 
are  at  once  moral  and  religious,  speculative  and  practical ; 
it  opposes  to  the  mere  outward  observances,  and  the  relaxa- 
tion of  all  self-discipline,  of  the  Jesuitical  system,  a  rigorous 
examination  and  government  of  the  heart  and  mind ;  the 
ideal  of  a  system  of  action  proceeding  from,  and  <Brminating 
in,  the  love  of  God. 

Whilst  Jansenius  was  still  employed  on  this  work,  his 
friend  was  endeavoring  to  show  forth  in  his  own  life,  and 
])ractically  to  diff'iise  among  his  disciples,  the  ideas  upon 
which  it  was  founded. 

8t.  Cyran,  for  thus  was  Du  Verger  called,  had  formed  for 
himself  in  the  midst  of  Paris  a  learned  and  ascetical  her- 


APJPENDIX.  253 

mitage.  He  endeavored  by  an  unwearied  study  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  and  the  fathers  of  the  church,  to  imbue 
himself  with  their  spirit.  Those  peculiarities  of  doctrine 
in  which  he"  concurred  with  Jansenius,  necessarily  led  him 
to  their  immediate  application  to  the  sacrament  of  penance. 
He  was  not  satisfied  with  the  penances  enjoined  by  the 
church;  he  was  heard  to  say  that  the  church  had  been 
purer  in  her  infancy,  as  streams  near  their  source ;  that 
many  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel  were  now  obscured.  His 
demands  were  extremely  rigorous.  Lowliness,  patience, 
dependence  upon  God,  complete  renunciation  of  the  world, 
and  the  devotion  of  all  the  thoughts  and  words  and  deeds 
to  the  love  of  God  —  this  alone  would  he  allow  to  be  Chris- 
tianity. He  had  so  profound  a  conception  of  the  necessity 
of  an  inward  change,  that  according  to  him  grace  must  pre- 
cede repentance.  "  When  it  is  the  will  of  God  to  save  a  soul, 
he  works  inwardly  on  the  spirit ;  if  the  heart  is  changed  and 
true  contrition  felt,  every  thing  else  follows ;  absolution  only 
marks  the  first  ray  of  grace  :  as  the  physician  must  watch 
and  follow  the  movements  and  internal  operations  of  nature, 
so  must  those  who  minister  to  the  soul's  health,  the  work- 
ings of  grace."  It  was  a  frequent  remark  of  his,  that  he 
had  passed  through  the  several  phases  of  temptation  and 
sin,  to  contrition,  prayer,  and  exaltation.  He  communicated 
his  thoughts  to  very  few,  and  then  briefly,  and  in  a  manner 
expressive  of  the  serenity  of  his  mind  ;  but  his  whole  soul 
was  filled  with  his  subject,  as  he  always  Avaited  for  a  fitting 
opportunity  and  a  suitable  frame  of  mind,  not  alone  in  him- 
self but  in  others,  the  impression  he  made  was  irresistible  ; 
his  hearers  frequently  felt  an  involuntary  change  come  over 
them,  and  burst  into  unlooked  for  teai's.  He  soon  had  as 
proselytes  some  of  the  most  distinguished  men  in  France, 
among  whom  were  Arnauld  d'Andilly,  who  was  on  intimate 
terms  with  Cardinal  Richelieu  and  Anne  of  Austria,  and 
was  employed  in  the  most  important  affairs  of  state  ;  and 

22 


254  THE   CATHOLIC. 

his  nephew  Le  Maltre,  who  though  remarkable  for  being 
the  most  eloquent  speaker  in  the  French  parliament,  and 
with  the  most  brilliant  career  before  him,  now  retired  from 
the  world  into  strict  seclusion.  Angelique  Amauld,  whom 
we  have  already  mentioned,  and  her  nuns  of  Portroyal, 
attached  themselves  to  St.  Cyran  with  that  absolute  de- 
votedness  which  pious  women  are  wont  to  feel  for  their 
prophet. 

Jansenius  died  before  he  could  see  his  book  printed  ;  St. 
Cyran,  immediately  after  his  first  conversions,  was  throAvn 
into  prison  by  Richelieu,  who  had  a  natural  antipathy  to 
efforts  so  directed  and  so  successful ;  but  these  calamities  did 
not  check  the  diffusion  of  their  doctrines. 

The  book  of  Jansenius  gradually  produced  a  deep  and 
genei"al  impression,  both  from  its  inherent  merits  and  from 
its  polemical  boldness.  St.  Cyran  continued  to  make  con- 
verts even  from  his  prison  :  the  unmerited  sufferings  which 
had  fallen  to  his  lot,  and  which  he  bore  with  the  greatest 
resignation,  increased  the  reverence  with  which  he  was  re- 
garded ;  and  when  he  obtained  his  freedom  by  the  death  of 
Cardinal  Richelieu,  he  was  beheld  as  a  saint,  a  John  the 
Baptist.  He  died  a  few  months  afterwards,  on  the  11th  of 
October,  1643;  but  he  had  established  a  school  which 
looked  upon  his  and  Jansenius's  doctrines  as  their  gospel. 
"  His  disciples,"  says  one  of  them,  "  go  forth  as  young  eagles 
from  under  his  wings ;  heirs  of  his  virtues  and  piety,  who 
again  transmit  to  others  what  they  have  received  from  their 
master.  Elijah  left  behind  him  more  than  one  Elisha  who 
completed  his  work." 

In  endeavoring  to  obtain  a  clear  view  of  the  relation 
which  the  Jansenists  bore  to  the  predominant  religious  par- 
ties, we  are  forcibly  reminded  of  the  early  protestants. 
They  aim  with  the  same  zeal  at  sanctification  of  life  ;  they 
strive  with  the  same  earaestness  to  reform  the  system  of 
faith,  by  a  rejection  of  the  additions  and  interpolations  of 


APPENDIX.  255 

the  schools.  But  these  points  of  resemblance  are,  in  my 
opinion,  very  far  from  justifying  us  in  pronouncing  them  to 
be  a  sort  of  unconscious  protestants.  The  main  difference, 
in  an  historical  point  of  view,  consists  in  this  ;  that  they 
voluntarily  admitted  a  principle  which  protestantism  from 
the  very  first  utterly  rejected ;  they  remained  steadily  at- 
tached to  the  most  eminent  fathers  of  the  Latin  church, 
whose  authority  had  been  thrown  off  by  Germany  as  early 
as  the  year  1523,  such  as  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Augustine,  and 
St.  Gregory ;  and  even  adopted  some  of  those  of  the  Greek 
church,  especially  St.  Chrysostom.  In  the  works  of  these  illus- 
trious men  they  thought  they  possessed  a  genuine  and  unadul- 
terated tradition,  from  which  St.  Bernard  had  never  deviated, 
but  which,  subsequent  to  the  times  of  this  "last  of  the  fathers," 
had  become  obscured  by  the  intrusion  of  the  Aristotelic 
doctrines.  We,  therefore,  find  them  far  removed  from  that 
energetic  zeal  with  which  the  protestants  resorted  directly 
to  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  their  consciences  were  satisfied 
with  the  primary  formations  which  had  become  the  substra- 
tum of  the  later  system.  They  adhere  to  the  maxim,  that 
the  visible  church,  in  spite  of  moments  of  eclipse  or  of  dis- 
figurement, is  yet  of  one  spirit  and  even  of  one  body  with 
Christ,  infallible,  and  immortal ;  they  strenuously  uphold 
the  episcopal  hierarchy  ;  they  have  the  most  profound  con- 
viction that  St.  Augustine  was  inspired  by  God  to  expound 
to  the  world,  in  all  its  fulness,  the  doctrine  of  grace,  which 
is  the  very  essence  of  the  new  covenant ;  in  him  is  to  be 
found,  according  to  them,  the  consummation  of  the  Chris- 
tian theology,  which  they  desire  to  grasp  at  its  very  root,  to 
understand  to  its  very  core,  and  to  avoid  the  Pelagian  errors 
which  had  often  been  mistaken  for  the  opinions  of  St.  Au- 
gustine. The  spirit  of  Luther  was  awakened  by  Augustine, 
but  he  then  resorted  without  hesitation  or  compromise  to  the 
wellspring  of  instruction,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  word  of 
God,  while  on  the  contrary,  orthodox  Catholicism  held  fast 


256  THE   CATHOLIC. 

to  the  system  matured  by  the  lapse  of  centuries,  in  all  its 
integrity  ;  tlie  Jansenists,  on  the  otlier  hand,  seek  to  enforce 
the  creed  of  Augustine  as  such ;  —  as  comprehending  all 
that  had  gone  before,  and  as  laying  the  foundation  of  all 
that  was  to  come  after.  Protestantism  rejects  tradition 
Catholicism  clings  to-  it ;  Jansenism  seeks  to  purify  it,  and 
to  reestablish  it  in  its  primitive  form  and  authenticity, 
and  thus  hopes  to  effect  the  regeneration  both  of  life  and 
doctrine. 

A  company  of  persons  of  some  consideration,  who  em- 
braced these  opinions,  soon  assembled  in  the  hermitage 
of  Portroyal  des  Champs,  whither  Le  Maitre  had  originally 
retired. 

At  first  indeed  the  circle  was  very  limited,  consisting 
principally  of  members  and  friends  of  the  Arnauld  family. 
Le  Maitre  induced  four  of  his  brothers  to  join  him.  Their 
mother,  from  whom  they  had  imbibed  their  religious  senti- 
ments, was  by  birth  an  Arnauld ;  Arnauld  d'Andilly  was 
the  oldest  friend  of  St.  Cyran,  who  bequeathed  his  heart  to 
him,  and  after  a  time  he  too  joined  the  company ;  his 
youngest  brother,  Antoine  Arnauld,  was  the  author  of  the 
first  considerable  work  in  defence  of  their  opinions.  Many 
other  relations  and  friends  soon  followed  their  example.  The 
convent  also  of  Portroyal  at  Paris  was  almost  exclusively 
in  the  hands  of  that  family ;  Andilly  relates  that  his  mother, 
who  retired  thither  at  the  close  of  her  life,  beheld  around 
her  twelve  daughters  and  granddaughters.  It  may  not  be 
superfluous  to  mention  that  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits 
from  Paris  in  the  year  1594,  had  been  mainly  owing  to  the 
potent  and  brilliant  eloquence  of  an  elder  Antoine  Arnauld, 
from  whom  all  these  were  descended.  Antipathy  to  the 
Jesuits  appeared  to  be  hereditary  in  the  race. 

This  narrow  circle  of  friends,  however,  was  soon  largely 
extended. 

Many  joined  them,  who  had  no  other  connection  but  that 


APPENDIX.  257 

of  similarity  of  opinions  ;  Singlin,  a  disciple  of  St.  Cyran, 
and  an  eminent  preacher  at  Paris,  was  especially  active  in 
tlie  cause.  He  was  remarkable  for  the  peculiarity,  that 
whereas  in  the  common  intercourse  of  life  he  expressed 
himself  with  difliculty,  he  no  sooner  ascended  the  pulpit  than 
lie  displayed  the  most  overpowering  eloquence.  His  most 
zealous  followers  were  sent  to  Portroyal,  where  they  were 
cordially  welcomed.  They  were  chiefly  young  ecclesiastics, 
and  learned  men,  rich  merchants,  men  of  the  highest  fami- 
lies, physicians  who  had  already  acquired  a  station  in  the 
world,  and  members  of  various  religious  orders ;  in  short, 
all  of  them  were  men  who  were  induced  to  take  this  step 
from  inward  impulse  and  sincere  conviction. 

In  this  retreat,  which  may  be  likened  to  a  convent  held 
together  by  no  vows,  many  religious  exercises  were  per- 
formed ;  the  churches  were  zealously  attended ;  prayers 
were  frequently  offered  up  both  in  company  and  in  solitude  ; 
agricultural  pursuits,  or  some  handicraft,  were  followed  by 
the  members ;  but  they  chiefly  devoted  their  time  to  letters  ; 
the  religious  society  of  Portroyal  was  likewise  a  sort  of 
literary  academy. 

Whilst  the  Jesuits  were  hoarding  up  learning  in  huge 
folios,  or  were  losing  themselves  in  the  mazes  of  the  revolt- 
ing subtleties  of  an  artificial  system  of  morals  and  dogmas, 
the  Jansenists  addressed  themselves  to  the  nation. 

They  began  by  translating  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the 
fathers  of  the  church,  and  Latin  prayerbooks ;  they  hap- 
pily avoided  the  old  Prankish  forms  which  had  till  now  been 
so  prejudicial  to  the  popularity  of  all  works  of  that  kind, 
and  expressed  themselves  with  an  attractive  clearness  of 
style.  The  establishment  of  a  seminary  at  Portroyal  led 
them  to  compose  school-books  on  the  ancient  and  modern 
languages,  logic,  and  geometry,  which  emanating  from  minds 
not  trammelled  by  antiquated  forms,  contained  new  methods, 
the  merits  of  which  have  been  universally  admitted.  They 
22* 


258  THE   CATHOLIC. 

also  published  polemical  ^vritings,  the  acuteneas  and  precis- 
ion of  which  confounded  their  enemies ;  or  works  .of  the 
profoundest  piety,  such  as  "  Les  Heures  de  Portroyal," 
which  were  received  with  the  utmost  eagerness,  and  were 
as  new  and  as  much  in  request,  after  the  lapse  of  a  century, 
as  on  the  first  day  of  their  appearance.  Men  of  the  lofty 
genius  and  the  profound  science  of  Pascal,  of  the  poetical 
originality  and  perfection  of  Racine,  and  of  the  wide  range 
of  knowledge  of  Tillemont  were  formed  within  their  walls. 
Their  laboi's  extended,  as  we  see,  far  beyond  the  circle  of 
ascetic  theology  which  Jansen  and  Du  Verger  had  traced. 
It  would  not  be  too  much  to  assert,  that  this  union  of  men 
of  high  intellect,  and  filled  with  noble  objects,  who,  in  their 
mutual  intercourse,  and  by  their  original  and  unassisted 
efforts  gave  rise  to  a  new  tone  of  expression  and  a  new 
method  of  communicating  ideas,  had  a  most  remarkable 
influence  on  the  whole  form  and  character  of  the  literature 
of  France,  and  hence  of  Europe ;  and  that  the  literary 
splendor  of  the  age  of  Louis  XIV.  may  be  in  part  ascribed 
to  the  society  of  Portroyal. 

It  was  impossible  that  the  spirit  which  had  given  birth 
to  all  these  productions  should  not  penetrate  the  whole 
nation  ;  adherents  arose  in  all  quarters,  especially  among 
the  parish  priests,  who  had  long  regarded  with  detesta- 
tion the  mode  of  confession  practised  by  the  Jesuits. 
Sometimes  it  appeared  —  for  instance  in  the  time  of  Car- 
dinal Retz  —  as  if  the  Jansenists  were  about  to  make 
converts  among  the  higher  clergy;  and  some  important 
offices  were  actually  distributed  among  them.  We  soon 
find  theih  not  only  in  the  Netherlands  and  in  France ;  but 
even  in  Sj)ain  they  had  some  partisans,  and  in  the  time  of 
Innocent  X.  a  Jansenist  preacher  publicly  promulgated  his 
doctrines  in  Home. 


EXTRACT  FROM  PREFACE 

TO  EXPOSITION  OF  THK  NEW  TESTAMENT  BY  MATTHEW  HENRY. 


UNSUCCESSFUL    EFFORTS     OF    THE    JANSENISTS    TO 
CIRCULATE    THE   NEW   TESTAMENT. 

"  Father  Quesnel,  a  French  papist  but  a  Jansenist,  pub- 
lished the  New  Testament  in  French,  in  several  small 
volumes,  with  moral  reflections  on  every  verse,  to  render  the 
reading  of  it  more  profitable,  and  meditation  upon  it  more 
easy.  It  was  much  esteemed  in  France,  for  the  sake  of  the 
piety  and  devotion  which  appeared  in  it,  and  it  had  several 
impressions.  The  Jesuits  were  much  disgusted,  and  solicited 
the  pope  for  the  condemnation  of  it,  though  the  author  of  it 
was  a  papist,  and  many  things  in  it  countenanced  popish 
superstition. 

After  much  struggling  about  it  in  the  Court  of  Rome,  a 
bull  was  at  length  obtained,  at  the  request  of  the  French 
king,  from  the  present  pope,  Clement  XL,  bearing  date 
September  8,  1713,  by  which  the  said  book,  with  what  title 
or  in  what  language  soever  it  is  printed,  is  prohibited  and 
condemned ;  both  the  New  Testament  itself,  because  in 
many  things  varying  from  the  vulgar  Latin,  and  the  Anno- 
tations, as  containing  divers  propositions  (above  a  hundred 
are  enumerated)  scandalous  and  pernicious,  injurious  to  the 
church  and  its  customs,  impious,  blasphemous,  savoring  of 
heresy.  And  the  propositions  are  such  as  these :  ♦'  That 
the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  effectual  principle 
of  all  manner  of  good,  is  necessary  for  every  good  action; 
for  without  it  nothing  is  done,  nay,  nothing  can  be  done." 

(259) 


260  THE   CATHOLIC.  " 

"  That  it  is  a  sovereign  grace,  and  is  an  operation  of  the 
Almighty  hand  of  God."  "That  when  God  accompanies 
his  word  with  the  internal  power  of  his  grace,  it  operates 
in  the  soul  the  obedience  which  it  demands."  "  That  faith 
is  the  first  grace,  and  the  fountain  of  all  others."  "  That  it 
is  in  vain  for  us  to  call  God  our  Father,  if  we  do  not  cry  to 
him  with  the  spirit  of  love."  "  That  there  is  no  God,  nor 
religion,  where  there  is  no  charity."  "  That  the  Catholic  • 
church  comprehends  the  angels  and  aU  the  elect  and  just 
men  of  the  earth,  of  all  ages."  "  That  it  has  the  word  in- 
carnate for  its  head,  and  all  the  saints  for  its  members." 
"  That  it  is  profitable  and  necessary  at  all  times,  in  all  places, 
and  for  all  sorts  of  persons,  to  know  the  Holy  Scriptures." 
"  That  the  holy  obscurity  of  the  word  of  God  is  no  reason 
for  the  laity  not  reading  it."  "  That  the  Lord's  day  ought 
to  be  sanctified  by  reading  books  of  piety,  especially  the 
Holy  Scriptures."  And  "that  to  forbid  Christians  from 
reading  the  Scriptures,  is  to  prohibit  the  use  of  light  to  the 
children  of  light."  Many  such  positions  as  these,  which 
the  spirit  of  every  good  Christian  cannot  but  relish  as  true 
and  good,  are  condemned  by  the  Pope's  bull  as  impious  and 
blasphemous.  And  this  bull,  though  strenuously  opposed 
by  a  great  number  of  the  bishops  in  France  who  were  well 
affected  to  the  notions  of  Father  Quesnel,  was  yet  received 
and  confirmed  by  the  French  king's  letters  patent,  beai'ing 
date  at  Versailles,  February  14,  1714,  which  forbid  all 
manner  of  persons,  upon  pain  of  exemplary  punishment,  so 
much  as  to  keep  any  of  those  books  in  their  houses ;  and 
adjudge  any  that  should  hereafter  write  in  defence  of  the 
propositions  condemned  by  the  pope,  as  disturbers  of  the 
peace. 


EXTRACT  FROM  D' ISRAELI'S  CURIOSITIES  OP 
LITERATURE.^ 


THE    PORTEOYAL  SOCIETY,. 

Ev]|pT  lover  of  letters  has  heard  of  this  learned  society, 
which,  says  Gibbon,  contributed  so  much  to  establish  in 
France  a  taste  for  just  reasoning,  simplicity  of  style,  and 
philosophical  method.  Their  "  logic,  or  the  art  of  think- 
ing," for  its  lucid,  accurate,  and  diversified  matter,  is  still 
an  admirable  work ;  notwithstanding  the  writers  at  that 
time  had  to  emancipate  themselves  from  the  barbarism  of 
the  scholastic  logic  with  cautious  boldness.  It  was  the 
conjoint  labor  of  Arnauld  and  NicoUe.  Europe  has  bene- 
fited by  the  labors  of  these  learned  men :  but  not  many 
have  attended  to  the  origin  and  dissolution  of  this  literary 
society. 

In  the  year  1637,  Le  Maitre,  a  celebrated  advocate,  re- 
signed the  bar,  and  the  honor  of  being  Conseiller  d'  JEtat, 
which  his  uncommon  merit  had  obtained  him,  though  then 
only  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  His  brother,  De  Sericourt, 
who  had  followed  the  military  profession,  quitted  it  at  the 
same  time.  Consecrating  themselves  to  the  service  of 
God,  they  retired  into  a  small  house  near  the  Portrayal 
of  Paris,  where  they  were  joined  by  their  brothers  De  Sacy, 
De  St.  Elme,  and  De  Valmont.      Arnauld,  one    of  their 

I  Page  27. 

(261) 


262  THE  CATHOLIC. 

most  illustrious  associates,  was  induced  to  enter  into  the 
Jansenist  controversy,  and  then  it  was  they  encountered 
the  powerful  persecution  of  the  Jesuits.  Constrained  to  re- 
move from  that  spot,  they  fixed  their  residence  at  a  few 
leagues  from  Paris,  and  called  it  Portroyal  des  Champs. 

With  these  illustrious  recluses  many  distinguished  persons 
now  retired,  who  had  given  up  their  parks  and  houses  to  be 
appropriated  to  their  schools ;  and  this  community  was  called 
the  Society  of  Portroyal. 

Here  were  no  rules,  no  vows,  no  constitution,  and  no  cells 
formed.  Prayer,  and  study,  and  manual  labor  were  their 
only  occupations.  They  applied  themselves  to  the  education 
of  youth,  and  raised  up  little  academies  in  the  neigl(Jprhood, 
where  the  members  of  the  Portroyal,  the  most  illustrious 
names  of  literary  France,  presided.  None  considered  his 
birth  entitled  him  to  any  exemption  from  their  public  offices, 
relieving  the  poor  and  attending  on  the  sick,  and  employing 
themselves  in  their  farms  and  gardens ;  they  were  carpen- 
ters, ploughmen,  gardeners,  and  vine-dressers,  etc.,  as  if  they 
had  practised  nothing  else ;  they  studied  physic,  and  surgery, 
and  law ;  in  truth,  it  seems  that  from  religious  motives,  these 
learned  men  attempted  to  form  a  community  of  primitive 
Christianity. 

The  Duchess  of  Longueville,  once  a  political  chief,  sacri- 
ficed her  ambition  on  the  altar  of  Portroyal,  enlarged  the 
monastic  enclosure  with  spacious  gardens  and  orchards,  built 
a  noble  house,  and  often  retreated  to  its  seclusion.  The 
learned  D'Andilly,  the  translator  of  Josephus,  after  his 
studious  hours,  resorted  to  the  cultivation  of  fruit-trees  ;  and 
the  fruit  of  Portroyal  became  celebrated  for  its  size  and 
flavor.  Presents  were  sent  to  the  Queen-Mother  of  France, 
Anne  of  Austria,  and  Cardinal  Mazarine,  who  used  to  call 
it  "  Frutti  beni."  It  appears  that  "  families  of  rank,  afflu- 
ence, and  piety,  who  did  not  wish  entirely  to  give  up  their 
avocations  in  the  world,  built  themselves  country-houses  in 


APPENDIX.  263 

the  valley  of  Portroyal,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  society  of  its 
religious  and  literary  inhabitants." 

In  the  solitude  of  Portroyal,  Racine  received  his  educa- 
tion ;  and,  on  his  death-bed  desired  to  be  buried  in  its  ceme- 
tery, at  the  feet  oj  his  master,  Hamon.  Arnauld,  persecuted, 
and  dying  in  a  foreign  country,  still  cast  his  lingering  looks 
on  this  beloved  retreat,  and  left  the  society  his  heart,  which 
■  Fas  there  inurned. 

Anne  de  Bourbon,  a  princess  of  the  blood  royal,  erected  a 
house  near  the  Portroyal,  and  was,  during  her  life,  the  pow- 
erful patroness  of  these  solitary  and  religious  men  ;  but  her 
death  in  1 679,  was  the  fatal  stroke  which  dispersed  them  for 
ever. 

The  envy  and  the  fears  of  the  Jesuits,  and  their  rancor 
against  Arnauld,  who  with  such  ability  had  exposed  their 
designs,  occasioned  the  destruction  of  the  Portroyal  So- 
ciety. Exinanite,  exinanite  usque  ad  fundamentuni  in  ae  I 
Annihilate  it,  annihilate  it,  to  its  very  foundations  !  Such 
ax'e  the  terms  in  the  Jesuitic  decree.  The  Jesuits  had  long' 
called  the  little  schools  of  Portroyal  the  hotbeds  of  heresy. 
Gregoire,  in  his  interesting  memoir  of  "  Ruins  of  Port- 
royal," has  drawn  an  affecting  picture  of  that  virtuous 
society,  when  the  Jesuits  obtained  by  their  intrigues  an  order 
from  government  to  break  it  up.  They  razed  the  buildings, 
and  ploughed  up  the  very  foundation  ;  they  exhausted  their 
hatred  even  on  the  stones,  and  profaned  even  the  sanctuary 
of  the  dead ;  the  corpses  were  torn  out  of  their  graves,  and 
dogs  Avere  suffered  to  contend  for  the  rags  of  their  shrouds. 
When  the  Portroyal  had  no  longer  an  existence,  the 
memory  of  that  asylum  of  innocence  and  learning  was  still 
kept  alive  by  those  who  collected  the  engravings  represent- 
ing that  place  by  Mademoiselle  Hortemels. 


EXTRACT  FROM  SEYMOUR'S  MORND^GS  AT  ROME 
WITH  THE  JESUITS.! 


"  My  clerical  friend,  after  a  pause,  which  I  was  unwilling 
to  break,  lest  I  should  express  myself  as  strongly  as  I  felt, 
resumed  the  conversation,  and  said,  that  the  worship  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  was  a  growing  worship  in  Rome ;  that  it  was 
increasing  in  depth  and  intenseness  of  devotion  ;  and  that 
there  were  now  many  of  their  divines,  and  he  spoke  of  him- 
self as  agreeing  with  them  in  sentiment,  who  were  teaching 
that  as  a  woman  brought  in  death,  so  a  woman  was  to  bring 
in  life ;  that  as  a  woman  brought  in  sin,  so  a  woman  was  to 
bring  in  holiness ;  that  as  Eve  brought  in  damnation,  so 
Mary  was  to  bring  in  salvation ;  and  that  the  effect  of  this 
opinion  was  largely  to  increase  the  reverence  and  worship 
given  to  the  Virgin  Mary. 

"  I  said  that  I  had  read  something  of  the  kind,  and  also 
that  I  had  seen  a  sort  of  parallel  in  some  of  the  Fathers  on 
the  subject,  but  that  it  did  not  go  so  far  as  the  modern 
opinion.  But  in  order  not  to  misunderstand  him,  and  to 
prevent  any  mistake  as  to  his  views,  I  asked  whether  I  was 
to  understand  him  as  implying  that,  as  we  regard  Eve  as 
the  first  sinner,  so  we  are  to  regard  Mary  as  the  first  Saviour; 
one  as  the  author  of  sin,  and  the  other  as  the  author  of  the 
leraedy. 

"  lie  re})lied  that  such  was  precisely  the  view  he  wished  to 
express,  and  he  added  that  it  was  taught  by  St.  Alphonso 
de  Liguori,  and  was  a  growing  opinion.  He  seemed  to 
think,  from  my  seriousness  of  manner,  that  he  had  made  an 

^Bejmour,  p.  44-46. 

(264)  ^ 


APPENDIX.  265 

impression  on  me  very  different  from  the  reality,  for  I  was 
deeply  grieved  at  his  statement,  in  which  there  was  not  the 
least  allusion  to  Christ.  Mary  seemed  to  be  substituted  for 
Christ. 

"  I  felt  that  he  had  gone  very  far,  but  I  also  felt  he  had  not 
gone  further  than  my  own  impressions  as  to  the  religion  of 
Italy,  so  far  as  I  had  seen  it.  I  therefore  took  the  oppor- 
tunity of  saying  what  otherwise  I  would  have  been  unwill- 
ing to  express.  I  introduced  it  by  some  courteous  and  apol- 
ogetic expressions,  to  prevent  his  taking  any  offence,  and 
assured  him  I  felt  happy  in  being  able  to  speak  my  mind  to 
one  so  capable  of  understanding  and  appreciating  my  feel- 
ings, and  I  prayed  him  not  to  be  offended  at  my  freedom. 
I  then  stated,  with  all  the  seriousness  the  subject  demanded, 
and  all  the  solemnity  I  could  command,  that,  from  all  I  had 
observed  of  the  religion  of  Italy,  whether  as  exhibited  in 
the  churches,  displayed  in  processions,  or  expressed  in  pri- 
vate ;  whether  as  exhibited  in  the  forms  of  prayer,  in  the 
object  of  worship,  in  the  books  of  devotion,  or  in  the  con- 
versation of  the  people,  it  appeared  to  me  to  be  character- 
ized by  one  great  feature,  which  forced  itself  unceasingly 
on  my  mind.  It  seemed  to  me  that  all  tended  to  the  honor 
of  Maiy  rather  than  to  the  honor  of  Christ ;  and  that  this 
seemed  to  me  to  be  carried  to  such  an  extreme,  that  I  felt  in 
my  calm  and  sober  judgment  that  the  religion  of  Italy  ought 
to  be  called  the  religion  of  Mary  rather  than  the  religion  of 
Christ !  I  again  apologized  for  so  strong  an  opinion,  but 
added  that,  feeling  strongly  on  the  point,  I  wished  to  express 
myself  with  a  frankness  and  sincerity,  which  I  hoped  he 
would  excuse. 

"  I  watched  anxiously  to  see  the  impression  of  my  words ; 
I  feared  that,  as  they  would  have  elicited  a  burst  of  indigna- 
tion, real  or  affected,  among  the  Romanists  of  England  or 
of  Ireland,  so  they  might  possibly  cause'  some  offence  even 
in  Italy  ;  but  it  was  far  otherwise.     He  seemed  quite  un- 

23 


266  THE   CATHOLIC. 

moved,  as  if  he  received  my  words  as  a  matter  of  course  — 
as  expressing  something  very  natural  and  of  no  unfrequent 
occurrence.  His  reply  was  made  with  perfect  ease  and  en 
tire  frankness. 

"  He  stated  that  my  impression  was  very  natural ;  that 
such  was  really  the  appearance  of  things ;  that,  coming  from 
Germany,  where  Christ  on  the  cross  was  the  ordinary  object 
of  veneration,  into  Italy,  where  the  Virgin  Mary  was  the 
universal  object  of  reverence,  it  was  no  more  than  natural 
such  an  impression  should  have  been  created ;  that  such  an 
impression  was  very  much  the  reality  of  the  case  ;  and  that, 
to  his  own  knowledge,  the  religion  of  Italy  was  latterly  be- 
coming less  and  less  the  religion  of  Christ ;  and  that  "  the 
devotion  to  the  most  Holy  Virgin,"  as  he  called  it,  was  cer- 
tainly on  the  increase. 

"  I  was  perfectly  startled,  not,  indeed,  at  the  statement 
itself,  for  it  was  too  palpably  true  to  escape  the  observation 
of  any  one,  but  that  a  man,  a  minister  of  Christianity,  should 
describe  such  a  state  of  things  with  the  manifest  approval 
he  exhibited." 


EFFECTS  AND  TENDENCY  OF  THE  ROMAN 
CATHOLIC  RELIGION.^ 


It  is  evident,  that  the  papacy  hath  devoured  all  the 
privileges  and  rights  of  all  orders  in  the  church,  either 
granted  by  Grod,  or  established  in  the  ancient  canons. 

The  royalties  of  Peter  are  become  immense  ;  and,  con- 
sistently to  his  practice,  the  pope  doth  allow  men  to  tell  him 
to  his  face,  that  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  is  given 
unto  him. 

It  belongeth  to  him  to  judge  of  the  whole  church. 

He  hath  a  plenitude  (as  he  calleth  it)  of  power,  by 
which  he  can  infringe  any  law,  or  do  any  thing  that  he 
pleas.eth. 

It  is  the  tenor  of  his  bulls,  that  whoever  rashly  dareth  to 
thwart  his  will  shall  incur  the  indignation  of  Almighty  God, 
and  (as  if  that  were  not  enough)  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul 
also. 

No  man  must  presume  to  tax  his  faults,  or  to  judge  of 
his  judgment.  * 

It  is  idolatry  to  disobey  his  commands,  against  their  own 
sovereign  lord. 

There  are  who  dare  in  plain  terms  call  him  omnipotent, 
and  who  ascribe  infinite  power  to  him.  And  that  he  is  in- 
fallible is  the  most  common  and  plausible  opinion :  so  that 
at  Rome  the  contrary  is  erroneous,  and  within  an  inch  of 
being  heretical. 

"We  are  now  told,  that  "  if  the  pope  should  err  by  enjoin- 

1  An  extract  from  a  Treatise  on  the  Pope's  Supremacy,  by  Dr.  Bar- 
row, vol.  7,  p.  290. 

(267) 


268  THE   CATHOLIC. 

ing  vices  or  forbidding  virtues,  the  church  should  be  bound 
to  believe  vices  to  be  good,  and  virtues  evil,  unless  it  would 
sin  against  conscience." 

The  greatest  princes  must  stoop  to  his  will ;  otherwise  he 
hath  power  to  cashier  and  depose  them. 

Now  what  greater  inconvenience,  what  more  horrible 
iniquity  can  there  be,  than  that  all  God's  people  (that  free 
people,  who  are  called  to  freedom)  should  be  subject  to  so 
intolerable  a  yoke  and  miserable  a  slavery  ? 

That  tyranny  soon  had  crept  into  the  Roman  church  Soc- 
rates telleth  us. 

They  have  rendered  true  that  definition  of  Scioppius : 
"  The  church  is  a  stall,  or  herd,  or  multitude  of  beasts,  or 
asses." 

They  bridle  us,  they  harness  us,  they  spur  us,  they  lay 
yokes  and  laws  upon  us. 

The  greatest  tyranny  that  ever  was  invented  in  the  world 
is  the  pretence  of  infallibility :  for  Dionysius  and  Phalaris 
did  leave  the  mind  free,  (pretending  only  to  dispose  of  body 
and  goods  according  to  their  will)  :  but  the  pope,  not  content 
to  make  us  do  and  say  what  he  pleaseth,  will  have  us  also  to 
think  so  ;  denouncing  his  imprecations  and  spiritual  menaces, 
if  we  do  not. 

Such  an  authority  will  inevitably  produce  a  depravation 
of  Christian  doctrine,  by  distorting  it  in  accommodation  of 
it  to  the  promoting  its  designs  and  interests.  It  will  blend 
Christianity  with  worldly  notions  and  policies. 

It  certainly  will  introduce  new  doctrines,  and  interpret 
the  old  ones  so  as  may  serve  to  the  advancement  of  the 
power,  reputation,  pomp,  wealth,  and  pleasure,  of  those  who 
manage  it,  and  of  their  dependents.'^ 

1  The  immaculate  conception  is  one  of  these  "new  doctrines." 
The  Abbe  Labordc,  of  the  Diocese  of  Auch  in  France,  has  published  a 
work  "  On  the  impossibility  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  as  an  arti- 
cle of  Faith,"  which  has  passed  through  three  editions  in  France,  and 


APPENDIX.  269 

That  which  is  called  KaTTfj^Avnv  rdv  XSyov  Tov  Qeov,  to  make 
a  trade  of  religion  will  be  the  great  work  of  the  teachers  of 
the  church.  It  will  turn  all  divines  into  mercenary,  slavish, 
designing  flatterers. 

This  we  see  come  to  pass,  Christianity  by  the  papal  in- 
fluence being  from  its  original  simplicity  transformed  into 
quite  another  thing  than  it  was  ;  from  a  divine  philosophy 
designed  to  improve  the  reason,  to  moderate  the  passions,  to 
correct  the  manners  of  men,  to  prepare  men  for  conversa- 
tion with  God  and  angels,  modelled  to  a  system  of  politic 
devices,  (of  notions,  of  precepts,  of  rites,)  serving  to  exalt 
and  enrich  the  pope,  with  his  court  and  adherents,  clients 
and  vas-sals. 

What  doctrine  of  Christian  theology,  as  it  is  interpreted 
by  their  schools,  hath  not  a  dii-ect  aspect,  or  doth  not  squint 
that  way  ?  especially  according  to  the  opinions  passant  and 
in  vogue  among  them. 

To  pass  over  those  concerning  the  pope,  (his  universal 
pastorship,  judgeship  in  controversies,  power  to  caJl  councils, 
presidency  in  them,  superiority  over  them  ;  right  to  confirm 
or  annul  them  ;  his  infallibility ;  his  double  sword,  and 
dominion  (direct  or  indirect)  over  princes  ;  his  dispensing  in 
laws,  in  oaths,  in  vows,  in  matrimonial  cases,  with  all  other  the 


been  republished  in  a  translation  by  Hooker  of  Philadelphia.  In  this 
he  demonstrates  that  in  the  days  of  Thomas  Aquinas,  the  doctrine 
was  not  held  in  the  schools,  that  it  took  its  rise  in  the  time  of  St.  Ber- 
nard, and  that  the  friends  of  the  immaculate  conception  are  witnesses 
to  its  modern  origin  and  progress.  He  exposes  the  anti-Christian 
code  of  morality  of  modern  Rome,  and  asks,  "  why  should  it  surprise 
us,  then,  that  the  men  who  have  destroyed  the  practice  of  primitive 
morality,  should  balance  their  work  by  the  introduction  of  a  new 
faith,"  and  urges,  in  a  Catholic  tone,  "  that  the  opinion  of  the  immac- 
ulate conception  cannot  be  established  as  a  dogma,  and  proposed  as 
an  article  of  belief,  without  shaking  the  foundations  of  religion."  Ho 
has  consequently  been  removed,  and  his  book  placed  on  the  index  of 
prohibited  works. 

23* 


270  THE   CATHOLIC. 

monstrous  prerogatives,  which  the  sound  doctors  of  Rome, 
with  encouragement  of  that  chair,  do  teach). 

What  doth  the  doctrine  concerning  the  exempting  of  the 
clergy  from  secular  jurisdiction,  and  immunity  of  their  goods 
from  taxes  signify,  but  their  entire  dependence  on  the  pope, 
and  their  being  closely  tied  to  his  interests  ? 

What  is  the  exemption  of  monastical  places  from  the  juris- 
diction of  bishops,  but  listing  so  many  soldiers  and  advocates 
to  defend  and  advance  the  papal  empire  ? 

What  meaneth  the  doctrine  concerning  that  middle  rcfnon 
of  souls,  or  cloister  of  purgatory,  whereof  the  pope  holdeth 
the  keys  ;  opening  and  shutting  it  at  his  pleasure,  by  dispen- 
sation of  pardons  and  indulgences  ;•  but  that  he  must  be 
master  of  the  people's  condition,  and  of  their  purse  ? 

What  meaneth  the  treasure  of  merits  and  supererogatory 
works,  whereof  he  is  the  steward,  but  a  way  of  driving  a 
trade,  and  drawing  money  from  simple  people  to  his  treasury  ? 

Whither  doth  the  entangling  of  folks  in  perpetual  vows 
tend,  but  to  assure  them  in  a  slavish  dependence  on  their 
interests,  eternally,  without  evasion  or  remedy  ;  except  by 
favorable  dispensation  from  the  pope  ? 

Why  is  the  opus  operatum  in  sacraments  taught  to  confer 
grace,  but  to  breed  a  high  opinion  of  the  priest,  and  all  he 
doth  ? 

Whence  did  the  monstrous  doctrine  of  transubstantiation 
(urged  with  so  furious  zeal)  issue,  but  from  design  to  mag- 
nify the  credit  of  those,  who  by  saying  of  a  few  words  can 
make  our  God  and  Saviour?  and  withal  to  exercise  a  nota- 
ble instance  of  their  power  over  men,  in  making  them  to  re- 
nounce their  reason  and  senses  ? 

Wiiithcr  doth  tend  the  doctrine  concerning  the  mass  being 
a  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  dead,  but  to  engage  men  to 
leave  in  their  wills  good  sums  to  c^er  in  their  behalf? 

Why  is  the  cup  withholden  from  the  laity,  but  to  lay  it 
low  by  so  notable  a  distinction,  in  the  principal  mystery  of 
our  religion,  from  flic  priesthood  ? 


APPENDIX.  271 

"Why  is  saying  private  mass  (or  celebrating  the  commun- 
ion in  solitude)  allowed,  but  because  priests  are  paid  for  it, 
and  live  by  it  ? 

At  what  doth  the  doctrine  concerning  the  necessity  of  au- 
ricular confession  aim,  but  that  thereby  the  priests  may 
have  a  mighty  awe  on  the  consciences  of  all  people,  may 
dive  into  their  secrets,  may  manage  their  lives  as  they 
please  ? 

And  what  doth  a  like  necessary  particular  absolution 
intend,  but  to  set  the  priest  in  a  lofty  state  of  authority 
above  the  people,  as  a  judge  of  his  condition  and  dispen- 
ser of  his  salvation  ? 

"Why  do  they  equal  ecclesiastical  traditions  with  Scrip- 
ture, but  that  on  the  pretence  of  them  they  may  obtrude 
whatever  doctrines  advantageous  to  their  designs  ? 

What  drift  hath  the  doctrine  concerning  the  infallibility 
of  churches  or  councils,  but  that,  when  opportunity  doth 
invite,  he  may  call  a  company  of  bishops  together  to  estab- 
lish what  he  liketh,  which  ever  after  must  pass  for  certain 
truth,  to  be  contradicted  by  none ;  so  enslaving  the  minds 
of  all  men  to  his  dictates,  which  always  suit  to  his  in- 
terest. 

"What  doth  the  prohibition  of  Holy  Scripture  drive  at, 
but  a  monopoly  of  knowledge  to  themselves,  or  a  detaining 
of  people  in  ignorance  of  truth  and  duty ;  so  that  they 
must  be  forced  to  rely  on  them  for  direction,  must  believe  all 
they  say,  and  blindly  submit  to  their  dictates ;  being  dis- 
abled to  detect  their  errors,  or  contest  their  opinions  ? 

Why  must  the  sacraments  be  celebrated,  and  public  devo- 
tions exercised,  in  an  unknown  tongue,  but  that  the  priests 
may  seem  to  have  a  peculiar  interest  in  them,  and  ability  for 
them  ? 

Why  must  the  priesthood  be  so  indispensably  forbidden 
marriage,  but  that  it  may  be  wholly  untacked  from  the 
State,  and  i-est  addicted  to  him,  and  governable  by  him; 


272  THE   CATHOLIC. 

that  the  persons  and  wealth  of  priests  may  be  purely  at  his 
devotion  ? 

To  what  end  is  the  clogging  religion  by  multiplication  of 
ceremonies  and  formalities,  but  to  amuse  the  people,  and 
maintain  in  them  a  blind  reverence  toward  the  interpreters 
of  the  dark  mysteries  couched  in  them  ;  and  by  seeming  to 
encourage  an  exterior  show  of  piety  (or  form  of  godliness) 
to  gain  reputation  and  advantage,  whereby  they  might  op- 
press the  interior  virtue  and  reality  of  it,  as  the  Scx'ibes  and 
Pharisees  did,  although  with  less  designs  ? 

Why  is  the  veneration  of  images  and  relics,  the  credence 
of  miracles  and  legends,  the  undertaking  of  pilgrimages 
and  voyages  to  Rome,  and  other  places,  more  holy  than  or- 
dinary ;  sprinklings  of  holy  water,  consecrations  of  baubles, 
(with  innumerable  foppish  knacks  and  trinkets,)  so  cher- 
ished ;  but  to  keep  the  people  in  a  slavish  credulity  and 
dotage,  apt  to  be  led  by  them  whither  they  please,  by  any 
sleeveless  pretence,  and  in  the  meanwhile  to  pick  various 
gains  from  them  by  such  trade  ? 

What  do  all  such  things  mean,  but  obscuring  the  native 
simplicity  of  Christianity,  whereas  it  being  represented  in- 
telligible to  all  men,  would  derogate  from  that  high  admira- 
tion, which  these  men  pretend  to  from  their  peculiar  and 
profound  Avisdom  ?  And  what  would  men  spend  for  these 
toys,  if  they  understood  they  might  be  good  Christians,  and 
get  to  heaven  without  them  ? 

What  doth  all  that  pomp  of  religion  serve  for,  but  for 
ostentation  of  the  dignity  of  those  who  administer  it  ?  It 
may  be  pretended  for  the  honor  of  religion,  but  it  really 
conducetli  to  the  glory  of  the  priesthood,  who  shine  in  those 
pageantries. 

Wliy  is  monkery  (although  so  very  different  from  that 
which  was  in  the  ancient  times)  so  cried  up  as  a  superlative 
state  of  perfection,  but  that  it  fiUeth  all  places  with  swarms 
of  lusty  ])eople,  who  are  vowed  servants  to  him,  and  have 


APPENDIX.  273 

little  else  to  do  but  to  advance  that  authority  by  which  they 
subsist  in  that  dronish  way  of  life  ? 

In  fine,  perusing  the  controversies  of  Bellarmine,  or  any 
other  champion  of  Romanism,  do  but  consider  the  nature 
and  scope  of  each  doctrine  maintained  by  them ;  and  you 
may  easily  discern,  that  scarce  any  of  them  but  doth  tend  to 
advance  the  interests  of  the  pope,  or  of  his  sworn  vassals.^ 

1  The  Romish  Hierarchy  in  this  country  are  usually  very  guarded 
in  their  language  as  to  the  papal  power,  but  occasionally  when  their 
ardor  is  kindled,  let  fall  expressions  which  betray  their  views,  pur- 
poses, and  secret  aspirations.  Thus  the  Chaplain  of  the  Bishop  of 
Boston,  after  finding  it,  "  an  unspeakable  privilege  "  to  kneel  and  kiss 
with  devout  fervor,  the  feet  of  Pius  IX.,  in  his  apostrophe  to  Rome 
asserts  :  "  That  Rome  is  full  of  life,  and  still  acts,  decrees,  and  com- 
mands with  all  the  energy  and  vivacity  of  her  youth.  When  she  lifts 
her  arm  to  strike,  the  haughtiest  monarchs  quail,  she  wields  an  influence 
even  over  the  empires  that  affect  to  hold  her  in  derision  more  potent  than 
that  of  all  the  powers  of  Christendom."  "  She  will  finally  triumph." 
"  Clothed  with  glory  and  radiant  with  light)  will  behold  her  enemies  at 
her  feet,  suppliants  for  mercy  and  pardon." — Haskin's  Travels  in 
Italy.     Boston,  a.  d.  1856,  p.  52,  58,  and  100. 


CONVERSION  OF  THE  BRITONS  BY   ST.  PAUL 
OR  HIS  IMMEDIATE  CONVERTS. 


In  my  letter  upon  the  Episcopal  Church,  I  gave  but  a 
portion  of  the  proof  that  the  first  churches  in  Britain  were 
founded  by  St.  Paul.  The  whole  evidence  upon  this  sub- 
ject is  ancient,  and  the  ancient  writers,  while  they  concede 
the  conversion  of  Britain  at  a  very  early  period,  furnish 
evidence  that  it  was  commenced  by  St.  Paul.  Much  of 
the  testimony  on  this  point  is  collected  by  Stillingfleet  and 
Burgess  in  their  works  on  the  antiquities  of  the  British 
churches,  which  may  be  found  on  the  shelves  of  the  Sears* 
library  in  Boston,  a  very  valuable  collection. 

While  St.  Peter  is  generally  described  by  the  fathers,  as 
the  apostle  of  the  circumcised,  St.  Paul  is  uniformly  treated 
as  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles;  and  it  is  shown  by 
the  evidence  of  Eusebius  and  St.  Jerome,  that  St.  Paul 
was  taken  prisoner  to  Rome,  between  the  second  and 
seventh  years  of  Nero,  and  was  not  executed  there  until 
the  fourteenth  year  of  his  reign,  A.  d.  67  to  68. 

"We  learn  from  St.  Luke,  that  he  abode  in  Rome  but  two 
years,  and  he  was  consequently  at  liberty  to  enter  other 
regions,  from  some  period  between  the  fourth  and  ninth 
years  of  Nero.  And  for  a  subsequent  period  of  five  or  ten 
years,  had  ample  time  to  visit  Britain. 

St.  Clement,  the  associate  of  St.  Paul  and  third  bishop  of 
Rome,  in  his  beautiful  letter  171  Greek  to  the  Christians  in 

(274) 


APPENDIX.  275 

Corinth,  to  which  I  have  already  referred,  says  of  St. 
Paul,  "  that  having  taught  righteousness  to  the  whole  world, 
having  reached  the  utmost  limit  (or  extremity)  of  the  west, 
and  borne  a  martyr's  testimony  before  the  rulers,  he  had 
left  the  world  and  gone  to  the  holy  place,  the  greatest  exem- 
plar of  patient  suffering." 

St.  Clement  here  assures  us  that  St.  Paul  had  taught 
righteousness  to  the  whole  world.  But  down  to  the  period  of 
his  release  at  Rome,  we  hear  of  him  only  in  Asia,  on  the 
borders  of  Africa,  in  Southern  Europe,  and  the  Isles  of  the 
Mediterranean.  Gaul,  Spain,  and  Britain,  still  remained  as 
fields  for  his  enterprise,  to  complete  his  task,  and  to  verify 
the  language  of  Clement. 

The  phrase  "  Extremity  of  the  "West,"  or  in  the  Greek 
of  Clement,  -Epjia  ttiq  6vaet^,  is  peculiarly  significant,  when 
used  by  a  bishop  of  Rome,  and  cannot  be  construed  to 
mean  Italy  itself,  (as  Lingard  suggests,)  when  it  comes  from 
the  mouth  of  a  Roman.  To  the  Romans,  Rome  was  the 
central  seat  of  government,  the  centre  of  the  world,  sup- 
rounded  by  her  provinces  of  Gaul,  Spain,  Britain,  Germany, 
Greece,  Thrace,  Asia  IVIinor,  Asia,  and  Africa.  To  Rome 
and  the  Roman,  Britain,  the  last  conquest  of  Caesar,  was  the 
extremity  of  the  West,  and  after  the  invasion  of  Caesar, 
Britain  is  thus  described  by  the  leading  authors  and  geogra- 
phers of  Rome.     One  writes  of  Britain :  — 

"Et  penitus  to  to  divisis  orbe  Britannis." 

Horace  writes :  — 

"  Ultimos  orbis  Britannos." 

Catullus  :  — 

"  Ultimam  occldentis  insulam." 

The  same  author  again  writes :  — 

"  Ultimosqae  Britannos." 


276  THE  CATHOLIC. 

Venantius  Fortunatus,  also  writes  that  St.  Paul  — 

"  Stylus  ille,i 
Transit  ct  oceanum  vel  quae  facit  Insula  portum, 
Quasque  Britannus  habet  terras,  quasque  ultima  Thule ." 

Arnobius,  too,  in  defining  the  bounds  of  the  gospel  east 
and  west,  mentions  the  Indians  foi*  the  east,  and  the 
Britons  for  the  west. 

But  this  is  not  the  only  evidence.  St.  Paul  had  finished 
his  mission  at  the  east,  had  carried  the  Gospel  into  southern 
Europe,  been  imprisoned  and  released  at  the  capital  city  of 
the  empire,  and  was  now  ready  to  embark  upon  his  mission 
into  other  countries ;  he  had  taken  his  final  leave  of  his  con- 
verts in  the  east,  just  before  his  imprisonment,  when  accom- 
panied by  Christians  from  Berea,  Thessalonica,  and  Dei-be, 
and  other  cities  of  Asia,  he  came  to  Ephesus,  and  sending 
for  the  elders  of  the  church,  took  his  solemn  leave  of  all 
of  them,  saying,  "  that  I  know  that  ye  all  among  whom  I 
have  gone,  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God,  shall  see  my  face 
no  more."  "  And  they  all  wept  sore,  and  fell  on  Paul's  neck 
and  kissed  him,  sorrowing  most  of  all  for  the  words  which 
he  spake,  that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more."  ^  Thence 
he  passed  through  Phoenicia  to  Jerusalem,  and  thence, 
chained  to  a  soldier,  to  Rome. 

The  question  naturally  arises,  where  was  St.  Paul  during 
the  long  period  which  elapsed  between  his  release  and  his 

1  Linguard  translates  "  Stylus  ille,"  that  "  epistle,"  but  the  literal 
translation  of  "  stylus  "  is  a  pillar;  and  if  we  give  it  that  signification, 
then  Fortunatus  assures  us  that  St,  Paul,  tliat  pillar  (of  the  churches) 
crossed  the  ocean  to  Britain. 

Had  he  meant  Epistle,  lie  would  doubtless  have  used  ejus  instead  of 
illc. 

St.  Chiysostom,  in  the  third  century,  calls  St.  Paul  "  a  pillar  of  the 
churches  through  the  world  6  arv'^og  lijv  Kard.  ttjv  olKOVf/ivjjv  iKiikr)- 
cLuv,"  and  uses  the  Greek  stulos,  from  which  tlie  Latins  derive  "  stylus," 
to  signify  a  "  pillar."  —  Chrysostora  in  John  1:1. 

2  Acts  20  :  4,  25,  38. 


APPENDIX.  277 

martyrdom  ?  He  had  passed  from  city  to  city,  and  from 
nation  to  nation,  in  preceding  years. 

"Was  the  great  apostle  idle  during  the  years  that  ensued  ? 
Such  was  not  the  belief  of  the  ancient  fathers ;  *  they  say  he 
was  employed  in  the  west,  and  such  is  conceded  to  have 
been  the  common  and  received  opinion  of  antiquity,  by  one 
of  the  ablest  critics.^ 

Not  only  had  St.  Paul  time  and  opportunity  for  visiting 
Britain,  but  Britain  itself  offered  at  this  period  an  inviting 
harvest.  Not  only  do  we  learn  from  Caesar  that  it  was 
very  populous,  but  its  mines  of  tin  and  copper  had  made 
it  the  resort  of  merchants,  and  we  learn  from  Tacitus  that 
it  had  been  subdued  under  Claudius,  and  Roman  colonies 
had  been  established  at  London  and  other  commercial  or 
military  stations.  A  way  had  thus  been  opened  for  the  on- 
ward march  of  Christianity. 

But  there  were  other  reasons  to  induce  St.  Paul  to  visit 
Britain.  In  his  epistles  ^  he  mentions  several  distinguished 
Britons,  who  were  his  friends  and  associates.  He  refers  for 
instance  to  Limes,  subsequently  the  first  bishop  of  Rome,  a 
prince  of  Britain,  probably  one  of  the  saints  in  the  house- 
hold of  Cajsar,  mentioned  by  St.  Paul.  He  refers  also  to 
a  British  lady  of  distinguished  rank,  and  to  her  husband 
Pudens,  who  had  served  in  Britain.  These  were  his  ac- 
quaintances, and  doubtless  his  converts.  The  lady  was 
Claudia,  the  Christian  wife  of  Pudens,  the  son  of  a  senator, 
and  Martial  in  his  poems  proves  that  she  was  a  Briton. 

"  Claudia  Rufo  meo  nubit  peregrina  Pudenti, 
Claudia  coeruleis  cum  sit  Eufina  Britannis." 

"  Claudia,  0  Eufus,  a  foreigner,  mamed  my  Pudens, 
Claudia  among  the  blue-eyed  Britons,  our  Eufina." 

This  blue-eyed  lady  of   Britain,  commended  by  Martial 

1  Stillingfleet,  p.  40.  ^  j,.  Capell  ad.  hist.  Apo.  p.  29. 

8  Philippians  4 :  22. 

24 


278  THE  CATHOLIC. 

for  her  wit  and  beauty,  had  won  the  affections  of  a  Eoman 
patrician.^ 

As  the  question  whether  St.  Paul  could  have  planted 
the  church  in  Britain,  turns  in  part  upon  the  date  of  his 
arrival  in  Rome,  let  us  briefly  review  the  evidence  on  the 
subject. 

If  he  had  arrived  so  late  as  a.  d.  61,  and  been  released, 
as  some  critics  suggest,  two  years  afterwards,  he  would, 
even  then,  have  had  five  years  for  his  mission ;  but  if  he 
arrived  as  early  as  a.  d.  56,  he  would  have  had  at  least  ten 
years  remaining  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  the  west,  and  it  is 
not  easy  to  account  for  this  long  interval  except  upon  the 
theory  of  a  journey  to  Spain  and  Britain. 

The  great  majority  of  both  ancient  and  modern  histori- 
ans and  critics,  including  Eusebius,  St.  Jerome,  Bede,  Ivo,^ 
Platina,  Capellus,  Petavius,  Scaliger,  Stillingfleet,  and 
Burgess,  adopt  the  year  56  of  the  Christian  era  for  the 
visit  of  St.  Paul  to  Rome.® 

The  modern  critics  rely  principally  upon  the  authority 
of  the  great  historian  Tacitus,  and  corroborative  evidence. 
And  the  proof,  although  questioned  by  Weiseler,  Hales, 
Conybeare,  and  Howson,  who  rely  upon  a  mission  of 
Josephus  to  Rome,  to  prove  a  later,  period  for  the  visit, 
appears  to  me  conclusive.  Tacitus  and  Josephus  were  con- 
temporaries ;  both  were  young  when  St.  Paul  was  sent  pris- 
oner to  Rome.  They  composed  their  histories  after  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  did  not  publish  them  for  forty 
years  after  the  accession  of  Nero. 

But  Tacitus  resided  in  Rome,  was  of  consular  rank,  had 
access  to  the  public  archives,  and  his  dates  are  usually  re- 
liable.    Josephus,  on  the  contrary,  had  no  such  advantages ; 

1  Claudia  is  referred  to  as  a  Christian,  2  Tim.  4  :  21.  * 

^  "Imperii  sui  (Ncronis)  anno secundo  Festum  procuratorem fecit." 
Chronicon  Ivonis,  apud  corpus  Franciae  Historiae  Veteris. 
3  Bishop  Burgess'  Tract  on  the  British  church,  p.  25  and  184. 


APPENDIX.  279 

he  was  a  Roman  prisoner  during  the  siege  of  Jerusalem, 
and  after  the  ruin  of  that  city  and  the  devastation  of  his 
country,  died  a  provinciaL 

His  dates  are  not  exact,  and  they  sometimes  conflict  with 
the  dates  of  Scripture,  while  one  or  two  passages  in  his  his- 
tory confirm  the  dates  of  Tacitus  ;  and  did  the  question  turn 
upon  conflicting  dates  alone,  in  the  works  of  the  two  histo- 
rians, the  position  and  general  accuracy  of  Tacitus  would 
be  decisive  in  his  favor. 

A  close  analysis,  however,  makes  it  easy  to  reconcile  their 
discrepancies,  and  to  show  that  there  is  no  serious  conflict  be-*' 
tween  them. 

The  visit  of  St.  Paul  to  Rome  was  immediately  preceded 
by  the  recall  of  Felix,  for  St.  Paul  did  not  commence  his 
voyage  until  he  had  been  heard  by  Festus,  the  new  gover- 
nor of  JudfBa.  If  then  we  can  determine  the  date  of  the 
recall  of  Felix,  we  thereby  determine  the  date  of  the  visit 
of  St.  Paul. 

The  critics,  who  assign  a  later  period,  or  A.  d.  61,  for  his 
recall,  draw  their  conclusions  from  the  fact  that  Josephus 
was  born  A.  d.  36,  and  was  sent  on  a  mission  to  Rome  in 
his  twenty-sixth  year,  to  procure  the  release  of  some  Jewish 
priests,  sent  thither  as  prisoners  by  Felix,  and  succeeded  in 
his  mission  by  the  aid  of  Poppoea.  They  rely  also  on  a 
further  statement  of  Josephus,  that  Felix  was  accused  by 
the  Jews  after  his  recall,  and  released  by  the  intervention  of 
Pallas,  then  high  in  favor  with  Nero. 

And  on  the  additional  observation  of  Josephus,  that  Felix 
was  appointed  procurator  of  Judaea  in  the  thirteenth  year 
of  Claudius,^  which  corresponds  to  the  year  53  of  the  Chris- 
tian era. 

Arguing  from  these  facts,  such  critics  draw  the  inference 
that  Josephus  visited  Rome  a.  d.  62,^  and  that  if  Felix  was 

^  Annals  of  Josephus,  xx.  8  and  9. 

^  If  Josephus  Avas  bom  a.  d.  36,  and  went  to  Kome  at  the  age  of 
twenty-six,  he  must  have  gone  thither  a.  d.  62. 


280  THE   CATHOLIC. 

made  governor  of  Judaea  as  late  as  A.  d.  53,  he  could  not 
have  been  recalled  as  early  as  A.  d.  56,  for  there  would  not 
have  been  space  in  the  interval  for  the  -  various  events 
which  occurred  under  his  administration.  And  they  ask,  if 
Felix  had  been  less  than  three  years  ruler  of  Judaea,  how 
could  St.  Paul  have  said  to  him  at  his  trial,  "  I  know  thou 
hast  been  for  many  years  a  judge  unto  this  nation."  ^  Arriv- 
ing at  the  conclusion  that  he  could  not  for  these  reasons 
have  left  Judaea  as  early  as  A.  d.  56,  they  consequently 
infer  that  he  had  arrived  at  Rome  in  a.  d.  62,  when  Jose- 
•rphus  reached  the  capital. 

This  argument  is  by  no  means  conclusive,  and  is  most 
successfully  assailed  by  those  who  assign  A.  d.  56  for  the 
visit  of  St.  Paul.  They  rely  upon  Tacitus,  and  it  seems 
to  me  no  arduous  task  to  reconcile  the  two  historians. 

Felix  was  a  manumitted  slave,  the  brother  of  the  freed- 
man  Pallas,  who,  as  the  favorite  of  Claudius,  amassed  a 
fortune  of  three  hundred  millions  of  sesterces.^ 

This  brother  stood  high  in  favor  during  the  first  year  of 
Nero.  We  may  judge  of  his  arrogance  and  power,  from  the 
rejily  he  made  when  charged  by  a  slave  with  conspiracy, 
"  that  he  never  spoke  to  such  people,  but  like  the  emperoi", 
signified  his  commands  by  a  gesture  or  in  writing." 

Tacitus  informs  us  that  in  the  ofiice  (of  treasurer)  which 
he  had  received  under  Claudius,  he  assumed  to  be  the 
absolute  master  of  the  empire,  and  was  dismissed  in  dis- 
grace A.  D.  56,  in  the  second  year  of  Nero.^  Tacitus,  in  his 
annals  of  A.  d.  52,  the  thirteenth  year  of  Claudius,  after 
describing  the  ostentatious  refusal  by  Pallas  of  a  gift  of 
thirty  millions  of  sesterces,  offered  him  by  the  senate,  ob- 
serves, "  that  his  brother,  surnamed  Felix,  for  some  time  gov- 
ernor of  Jadcea  acted  not  with  the  same  moderation,  but 
relying  on  such  powerful  protection,  supposed  he  might  per- 

1  Acts  24:  10.  2  Nearly  fourteen  millions  of  dollars. 

^  Tacitus'  Annals,  B.  xiii.  c.  14. 


APPENDIX.  281 

petrate  with  impunity  every  description  of  crime,"  and  adds, 
"  that  he  was  emulated  in  his  abandoned  courses  by  Ventidius 
Cumanus,  who  held  part  of  the  province,  the  division  being 
such  that  Galilee  was  subject  to  Cumanus,  and  Samaria  to 
Felix"  ^  He  also  informs  us  in  the  same  chapter,  "  that  Clau- 
dius gave  a  commission  to  Quadratus,  governor  of  Syria,  to 
try  and  sentence  the  governors,  but  that  Quadratus  took 
Felix  by  the  hand,  placed  him  on  the  tribunal  among  the 
judges,  to  awe  his  accusers,  so  that  Cumanus  alone  was 
doomed  for  the  crimes  of  both,  and  thereby  the  tranquillity 
of  the  province  was  restored."  ^ 

Thus  we  learn  fi'om  the  great  historian,  that  the  licentious 
Felix,  "  who  displayed  the  power  of  a  king  with  the  temper 
of  a  slave,"  was  in  a.  d.  52  dependent  on  Pallas,  the  treas- 
urer and  ruler  of  the  empire,  that  he  had  been  for  some  time 
governor  of  the  province  of  Judaea,  which  comprised  both 
Samaria  and  Galilee,  and  that  Galilee  was  assigned  to  Cu- 
manus. 

These  facts  are  reconcilable  with  the  passage  in  Josephus, 
that  A.  D.  53,  Felix  became  procurator  of  Judaea,  for  upon 
the  deposition  of  Cumanus  he  then  took  charge  of  Galilee 
as  well  as  Samaria,  and  became  ruler  of  all  Jud^a,  although 
his  commission  to  govern  the  province  must  have  been 
prior  to  A.  d.  50,  and  he  must  before  that  date  have  com- 
menced his  rule  in  Samaria,  while  he  suffered  Cumanus  to 
rule  in  Galilee.  It  appears  also  from  the  annals  of  Rome, 
that  the  average  term  of  office  of  the  governors  of  Judaea 
for  half  a  century  preceding,  was  but  four  yeai's,  and  St. 
Paul  might  well  say,  in  A.  d.  56,  to  a  Roman  ruler,  seven 
or  eight  years  in  office,  "  I  know  that  thou  hast  been  for 
many  years  a  judge  unto  this  nation." 

1  Ibid.  B.  xii.  c.  54. 

2  Josephus  admits  that  Cumanus  had  taken  part  in  a  conflict  in  the 
Province,  and  been  arrested  and  banished  before  tlic  twelfth  year  of 
Claudius,  and  that  Felix  was  governor  after  his  banishment,  Ixx.  c.  5. 

24* 


282  THE  CATHOLIC. 

The  language  of  the  apostle,  tnen,  presents  no  objection  to 
the  latest  date,  and  we  may  not  well  presume,  as  some  critics 
have  done,  that  coittrary  to  all  the  usages  of  Rome,  the  unjust 
Felix  remained  twelve  years  in  office,  or  that  he  continued 
governor  over  an  oppressed  people,  after  the  do\Ynfall  of 
his  protector,  Pallas,  who  fell  a.  d.  56,  as  stated  by  Tacitus. 
It  is  proper  also  to  notice,  that  Josephus  himself  confirms 
the  earlier  date  for  the  visit  of  St,  Paul,  when  he  states 
that  "  Felix  was  saved  from  punishment  by  his  brother,  at 
a  time  when  Pallas  was  in  the  highest  favor  with  Xero." 
This  period  was  the  first  year  of  Nero,  or  A.  d.  55,  for  he 
was  disgraced  in  the  year  ensuing,  and  there  is  no  evidence 
in  history,  that  he  was  ever  reconciled  to  the  emperor,  be- 
fore he  caused  him  to  be  poisoned,  in  the  very  year  in  which 
Josephus  arrived  in  Italy. 

Felix  could  not  have  been  tried  and  pardoned  in  that 
year,  for  no  one  can  argue  safely  that  a  dismissed  officer  of 
the  emperor,  either  dead  or  about  to  die,  was  then  in  the 
highest  favor  with  Xero.  Again,  there  are  other  facts  stated 
by  Josephus,  which  are  inconsistent  with  the  later  date,  for 
the  recall  of  Felix.  Festus  died  early  in  a.  d.  62,  for  his 
successor  Albinus  is  found  in  possession  of  his  office  in  the 
autumn  of  A.  d.  62,  after  it  had  been  long  vacant,  and  it 
must  have  required  a  considerable  portion  of  a  year,  to 
transmit  the  intelligence  of  his  death  to  Home,  and  to  bring 
his  successor  to  Judasa.  And  if  the  theory  of  the  earlier 
date  be  correct,  less  than  one  year  M'ould  exist  to  embrace 
aU  the  events  occurring  under  the  government  of  Festus, 
whicli,  according  to  the  narrative  of  Josephus,  must  have 
continued  for  a  series  of  years.  For  Josephus  states  that 
under  the  government  of  Festus,  many  events  occurred. 

First.  There  was  a  serious  insurrection  which  he  re- 
pressed. 

Second.  Agrippa  U.  built  a  palace  that  overlooked  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem. 


APPENDIX.  283 

Third.  The  Jews  built  a  high  wall  to  intercept  the  view 
of  Agrippa  II. 

Fourth.  The  Jews  sent  a  deputation  to  Rome,  to  obtain 
permission  to  maintain  their  wall. 

Fifth.  Their  mission  succeeded  by  intervention  of  Pop- 
poea. 

Sixth.  Their  agents  returned,  leaving  the  high-priest 
Ishmael  a  hostage  at  Rome. 

Seventh.  Agrippa,  on  their  return,  nominates  a  new  high- 
priest,  Joseph,  who  after  some  months  is  succeeded  by 
Ananus.  These  successive  events,  the  insurrection,  the 
suppression,  the  erection  of  the  palace,  the  construction  of 
the  wall,  the  appeal  to  Cajsar,  the  mission,  the  trial,  the 
return,  the  changes  of  the  priesthood,  call  for  a  space  of  five 
or  six  years.  They  cannot  be  compressed  into  a  single 
year,  from  A.  d.  61  to  A.  d.  62  ;  but  may  well  occupy  the 
longer  period  between  A.  D.  56  and  62,  and  while  they  ren- 
der impossible  the  later  date  named  for  the  recall,  strong- 
ly confirm  the  earliest.  We  may  safely  conclude,  then,  both 
from  the  testimony  of  Tacitus,  St.  Luke,  and  Josephus,  that 
Felix  was,  in  A.  D.  55,  recalled,  pardoned,  and  succeeded  by 
Festus,  and  thus  place  St.  Paul  in  the  ensuing  year,  on  his 
eventful  journey  to  the  capital.  The  detention  of  the  priests 
sent  by  Felix  to  Rome,  does  not  militate  with  this  con- 
clusion, for  it  was  the  usage  of  Rome  to  detain  important 
prisoners.  Thus  were  Brennus  and  his  family  detained  seven 
years,  and  thus  was  St.  Paul  detained.  It  was  the  usage  of 
Rome,  too,  Avhen  a  province  was  in  a  turbulent  state,  like  Ju- 
daea, to  keep  important  persons  as  hostages,  and  thus  Josephus 
informs  us  was  the  high-priest  Ishmael  retained  as  a  hostage 
when  his  associates  were  discharged.  The  ancient  chronicle 
of  Ivo,  referred  to  in  the  note,  which  gives  the  second  year  of 
Nero  for  the  appointment  of  Festus,  confirms  our  reasoning, 
and  indissolubly  connects  the  voyage  of  St.  Paul  with  the 
fifty-sixth  year  of  the  Christian  Era. 


284  THE   CATHOLIC. 

It  is  important  to  fix  this  date  with  some  precision,  for 
other  events  of  interest  cluster  around  this  period. 

Tacitus,  in  his  annals  for  A.  D.  57,  states  that  Pomponia 
Graecina,  a  lady  of  distinction  charged  with  having  em- 
braced a  foreign  superstition,  and  married  to  Plautius,  who 
was  honored  by  an  ovation  on  his  return  from  Britain,  was 
tried  by  her  husband.  Plautius  assembled  her  kindred,  and 
in  conformity  with  primitive  institutions,  having  in  their 
presence  held  solemn  inquisition  upon  the  conduct  and 
character  of  his  wife,  adjudged  her  innocent. 

For  forty  years  she  wore  no  dress  but  that  of  mourning, 
and  remained  in  constant  melancholy;  a  conduct  which, 
during  the  reign  of  Claudius,  escaped  with  impunity  and 
redounded  afterwards  to  her  honor.^ 

We  also  learn  from  contemporary  history,  that  the  family 
of  Caractacus  was  taken  from  Britain  to  Rome,  a.  d.  51, 
and  were  subsequently  liberated,  and  find  it  recoi-ded  in  the 
Welsh  Triads,  that  Brennus  the  father  of  Caractacus,  re- 
turned from  Rome,  a.  d.  58,  after  seven  years'  captivity,  and 
brought  with  him  the  Christian  faith. 

Contemporary  history  also  states  that  during  the  reign  of 
Claudius  and  Nero,  the  philosopher  Seneca  amassed  a 
fortune  of  three  hundred  millions  of  sesterces,  and  augmented 
it  by  loans  on  interest  in  Britain  and  other  provinces.  It 
is  recorded  also  by  St.  Luke,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
that  St.  Paul  was  acquitted  at  Rome,  and  discharged  at  the 
end  of  two  years,  which  according  to  our  computation,  would 
be  A.  D.  58,  or  near  that  period. 

St.  Paul  says,  "  the  things  that  have  happened  unto  me 
have  fallen  out  rather  to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  So 
that  my  bonds  in  Christ  are  manifest  in  all  the  palace  and 
in  all  other  places."'^ 

1  Tacitus,  Annals,  L.  13,  c.  32. 

-  Phil.  1 :  13.  Howson  and  Conybeare  translate  the  original  Greek, 
"  Praetorium,  or  Praetorian  camp,"  in  place  of  palace. 


APPENDIX.  285 

Thus  we  meet  with  a  remarkable  concurrence  of  circum- 
stances bearing  on  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into 
Britain. 

First.  St.  Paul  was  often  in  the  palace  of  Ctesar,  and 
with  the  Praetorian  guards,  where  he  must  have  met  with 
the  distinguished  captives  and  hostages  from  Britain,  for  he 
alludes  in  his  writings  both  to  the  Prastorian  guard  and  to 
the  household  of  Caesar.^ 

Second.  He  was  acquainted  with  Linus,  a  prince  of 
Britain,  the  first  Bishop  of  Rome,  with  Pudens,  of  senatorial 
rank,  and  with  Claudia,  a  British  princess. 

1  It  was  the  custom  of  the  Romans  to  chain  their  distinguished 
prisonei'S  to  officers  or  soldiers  of  the  Praetorian  guard,  who  were 
answerable  for  their  safety  with  their  lives.  Thus  St.  Paul  was  chained 
to  one  of  the  guard.  And  thus  we  learn  from  Josephus,  L.  18,  c.  8, 
was  King  Agrippa  chained  to  an  inferior  officer  of  the  guard,  and 
allowed  with  him  to  visit  the  palace  of  Caesar.  Josephus,  in  this  book, 
presents  a  vivid  picture  of  Agrippa  in  his  purple  robes,  standing  in 
chains  before  the  palace,  and  leaning  in  a  melancholy  posture  against 
a  tree,  where  the  soldiers  permitted  a  German  prisoner  to  converse 
with  him.  He  informs  us,  also,  that  after  he  had  been  for  six  months 
a  prisoner  on  these  terms,  a  friend  whispered  to  him  in  Hebrew,  that 
Tiberius  was  dead ;  and  when  he  expressed  his  joy,  the  officer  who 
held  him  in  custody,  having  ascertained  the  reason,  removed  his 
chains  and  treated  him  to  a  superb  supper,  which  was  abruptly  ter- 
minated by  a  report  of  the  recoveiy  of  Tiberius. 

St.  Paul  makes  frequent  allusion  in  his  Epistles  to  his  captivity 
and  chains,  and  to  the  Pratorian  guard.  Thus  he  calls  himself  "  an 
ambassador  in  bonds,"  Ephcsians  6  :  20  ;  says  Onesiphorus  "  was  not 
ashamed  of  my  chain,"  2  Timothy  1  :  16;  tells  the  Jews  at  Rome, 
"for  the  hope  of  Israel  I  am  bound  with  this  chain,"  Acts  28  :  20; 
and  on  his  arrival  at  Rome,  "  the  centurion  delivered  his  prisoners  to 
the  captain  of  the  guard ;  but  Paul  was  suffered  to  dwell  by  himself 
with  a  soldier  that  kept  him,"  Acts  28 :  16.  He  speaks,  also,  "  of  the 
whole  armor  of  God,"  "  the  breastplate  of  righteousness,"  "  the  shield 
of  fivith,"  "  the  helmet  of  salvation,"  "  the  sword  of  the  spirit,"  Ephe- 
sians  6:  11,  13,  14,  16,  17;  1  Thessalonians  .5:  8.  His  metaphors 
and  illustrations  were  often  drawn  from  the  soldier  of  the  Prcetorian 
guard  to  whom  he  was  chained. 


286  THE   CATHOLIC. 

Third.  Pomponia,  the  wife  of  the  only  living  Roman 
who  had  received  an  ovation,  and  herself  of  the  ancient 
Pomponian  family,  had  become  a  convert  to  Christianity, 
and  we  presume  she  had  either  followed  her  husband  to 
Britain,  or  was  deeply  interested  in  the  country  where  he 
had  won  his  laurels.  She  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
ladies  of  the  empire. 

Fourth.  The  release  of  a  British  king  and  a  royal  family, 
captives  with  St.  Paul  for  years  in  Rome. 

Fifth.  The  release  of  St.  Paul  the  very  year  before  the 
return  of  Brennus  and  his  family  to  Britain. 

Sixth.  The  civilization  which  was  pervading  Britain,  so 
tranquillized,  that  the  philosophers  of  Rome  found  it  a  safe 
field  for  the  investment  of  millions. 

Britain  had  been  the  great  field  for  Roman  exploits  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Claudius.  Britain  had  become  the  theme 
of  poetry  and  history ;  there  the  Roman  legions  had  con- 
quered ;  the  fame  of  Caractacus  had  pervaded  the  empire  ; 
nation  after  nation  had  been  subdued  ;  Caractacus  himself 
had  been  made  a  prisoner  and  transported  to  Rome,  to  the 
spot  where  St.  Paul  stood  in  chains  before  Caesar,  and 
made  converts  of  every  rank  and  condition  of  men,  from 
the  slave  to  the  princess.  The  presumptive  heir  of  the 
emperor  Claudius  was  Britannicus ;  the  latest  ovation  had 
been  for  British  conquests ;  the  most  intimate  friends  of  the 
apostle  were  a  British  prince  and  princess,  and  the  husband 
of  the  latter,  all  Christians.  The  wife  of  Plautius,  who 
had  subdued  Britain,  was  probably  his  convert,  and  the 
apostle  in  the  vast  palace  of  Cajsar,  in  the  Praetorian  camp, 
and  amidst  these  distinguished  natives  or  friends  of  Britain, 
must  have  met  also  Brennus  and  Caractacus.  A  way  was 
thus  opened  for  Christianity  into  Britain,  apparently  by  the 
interposition  of  Divine  Providence.  The  apostle  was  lib- 
erated. The  great  men  of  Britain,  like  the  man  of  Mace- 
donia in  his  vision,  were  beckoning  him  onward.  ,  Did  the 
zealous  apostle  require  higher  incentives  ? 


APPENDIX.  287 

May  we  not,  then,  presume  that  the  apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, sent  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  feeling 
that  he  was  released  from  the  lion's  mouth  for  that  express 
purpose,  would  have  accompanied  the  British  monarch  and 
his  suite  on  thfir  return,  and  have  planted  the  church  in 
Britain.     What  light  does  history  shed  upon  this  subject? 

Nearly  all  the  ancient  fathers  concur  in  stating  that  he 
did  preach  "  in  the  west"  and  Athanasius,  Cyril,  Epiphanius, 
Jerome,  Theodoret,  and  Gregory  ^  assert  that  he  made  the 
visit  he  proposed  to  Spain,  and  preached  the  Gospel 
there.  Spain  was  on  the  commercial  route  to  Britain,"^  and 
what  more  probable  than  this,  that  he  passed  through  Spain 
on  his  way  to  or  from  the  British  Islands.  But  we  have 
direct  testimony  on  this  point.  Sophronius,  a  writer  of  the 
seventh  century,  states  expressly  that  St.  Paul  preached  in 
Britain.^ 

The  historian,  Eusebius,*  in  the  third  century,  after  nam- 
ing the  twelve  apostles  and  their  seventy  associates,  and  de- 
voting several  pages  to  their  exploits,  writes;  that  some  of 
them  visited  the  Persians,  Armenians,  Pai'thians,  Scythians, 
Indians,  and  others  passed  over  the  ocean  to  the  British 
Isles.  Which  of  them  could  have  passed  over  except  St. 
Paul,  the  great  missionary  of  the  West?  Lingard,  the 
Roman  Catholic  critic,  feels  the  force  of  this  testimony  of 
the  first  historian  of  the  church,  but  endeavors  to  evade  it 
by  the  suggestion  that  St.  Paul  was  not  one  of  these  apos- 

1  ChiTsostom,  Oratio  in  Paul.  Tom.  8,  p.  59  ;  Theodoret  on  Philip. 
1 :  25  ;  Athanasius,  Vol.  I.  p.  737 ;  Burgess'  Treatise,-  p.  22. 

2  Tacitus,  a  contemporary  of  St.  Paul,  states  that  Ireland  was  situate 
between  Britain  and  Spain,  and  that  it  presented  better  harbors  than 
Britain,  which  were  known  through  commerce  and  merchants. — 
Tacitus'  Life  of  Agricola.  St.  Jerome,  speaking  of  St.  Paul's  visit  to 
Spain,  says :  "  In  Hispanlam  alienigenaram  portatus  est  naribus." 
"  He  was  carried  in  the  ships  of  other  nations  into  Spain." 

^  Sophronius,  quoted  by  Godwin  de  Praesul,  p.  8. 
*  Eusebius,  Evang.  Dom.  Book  3,  c.  5  and  7. 


288  THE  CATHOLIC. 

ties  ;  but  he  is  uniformly  classed  either  with  them  or  above 
them  by  all  the  ancient  fathers ;  and  such  nice  distinctions 
do  little  to  weaken  the  evidence.  The  same  Eusebius  re- 
peatedly speaks  of  the  British  Ocean  as  the  Western  Ocean, 
and  elsewhere  speaks  of  Gaul  and  "  the  wikem  parts  "  be- 
yond it,  —  evidently  referring  to  Britain. 

Again,  Gildas,^  a  British  writer  of  the  sixth  century,  in 
his  Annals,  written  A.  r>.  564,  before  the  final  conquest  of 
the  country  by  the  Saxons,  informs  us  that  the  gospel  was 
received  in  Britain  before  the  fatal  defeat  by  Suetonius  Pau- 
linus  of  the  natives  under  Boadicea,  which  defeat  occurred 
about  A.  D.  61,  in  the  reign  of  Nero. 

The  evidence  of  the  historian  Eusebius  to  the  fact  that 
the  apostles  (and  consequently  St.  Paul)  planted  the  gospel 
in  Britain,  is  of  peculiar  value.  Eusebius  was  the  favorite 
of  Constantine,  the  first  Christian  emperor,  himself  a  native 
of  Britain. 2  Eusebius  was  a  scholar  and  man  of  letters, 
having  access  to  the  best  sources  of  information,  and  busy  in 
collating  church  records  and  other  documents  as  the  mate- 
rials for  his  Annals  of  the  Church. 

This  period  was  long  prior  to  the  invasion  of  the  barba- 
rians, and  great  dependence  may  be  placed  on  his  testimony. 
St.  Jerome,  the  great  Roman  authority,  and  the  principal 
author  of  the  Vulgate,  tells  us  that  the  design  of  God  in 
liberating  St.  Paul  from  the  lion's  mouth,  (his  captivity  in 
Rome,)  was,  that  the  gospel  might  be  preached  by  him  in 
the  western  parts  also,  ("  occidentis  quoque  partibus")  and 
further  says,  that  St.  Paul  "  went  from   ocean  to'  ocean." 

1  Gildas. 

2  Constantine,  the  first  Christian  emperor,  was  a  native  of  Britain. 
His  father,  Constantius,  resided  many  years  at  York ;  and  the  em- 
press Helena,  his  mother,  was  also  a  Briton.  On  his  father's  death, 
Constantino  was  proclaimed  emperor  in  Britain. — Burgess,  137.  Poly- 
dorc  Virgil  says  of  Constantine  :  Se  enim  Britannica  matre  genitus,  in 
Britannia  natus,  in  Britannia  imperator  creatus  hand  dubio  magnita- 
dinis  suae  gloriro  natalc  solum  particeps  effecit. — Hist.  A.  L.  1. 


APPENDIX*  289 

And  what  ocean  can  lie  refer  to  except  the  Atlantic,  and  that 
expanse  of  water  known  to  the  ancients  as  the  British  Ocean  ? 

If  to  this  evidence  we  add  the  testimony  of  Nicephorus 
and  Dorotheas/  the  venerable  Bede,  and  St.  Paul  himself, 
we,  find  further  confirmation.  In  his  last  Epistle  to  Tim- 
othy,- the  apostle  writes :  "  Endure  afflictions  ;  do  the  work  of 
an  evangelist ;  make  full  proof  of  thy  ministry ;  for  I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand. 
I  have  fought  the  good  fight ;  I  have  finished  my  course." 

Such  evidence  confirms  the  proof  that  "  the  prince  of  the 
apostles,"  "  the  ruler  of  nations,"  the  apostle  Paul,  planted 
Christianity  in  Britain.  For  we  may  well  presume  the 
zealaus  apostle,  sent  to  all  the  Gentiles,  would  not  have  felt 
that  he  had  given  "  full  proof  of  his  ministry,"  "  would  not 
have  been  ready  to  be  sacrificed,"  or  have  assured  his  friend 
that  he  "  had  fought  a  good  fight,  and  had  finished  his 
course,"  if  he  had  omitted  to  preach  the  gospel  in  populous 
Britain,  a  region  filled  with  Roman  colonies,  and  ready  to 
welcome  him,  —  the  home,  too,  of  his  distinguished  friends, 
Linus  and  Claudia,  who  join  him  in  that  epistle  which  pre- 
cedes his  martyrdom.  It  is  a  striking  coincidence  that  the 
name  of  Linus,  the  British  prince,  and  the  name  Claudia,  a 
British  princess,  and  of  Pudens  her  husband,  son  of  a  Ro- 
man senator,  ai-e  all  grouped  together  by  St.  Paul  in  his 
last  epistle  to  Timothy. 

Much  light  is  thrown  upon  the  associates  of  St.  Paul,  by 
a  modern  discovery  at  Chichester,  an  ancient  colony  of  the 
Romans  in  England.® 

1  Usher,  in  his  Britan.  Eccles.  Antiquitates,  p.  9,  cites  from  two 
ancient  authors,  namely,  from  "  Menscis  Grajcorum,"  and  from  "  Do- 
rotheas in  his  Synopsis,"  two  distinct  statements  that  Aristobulus, 
mentioned  in  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Eomans  16  :  10,  was  ordained 
by  St.  Paul  bishop  of  the  Britons. 

24:  5  to  7. 

^  In  Conybeare  and  Howson's  Life  of  St.  Paul,  p.  500,  is  the  ex- 
tract here  inserted. 

25 


290  THE  CATHOLIC. 

The  following  facts,  relating  to  the  names  of  Pudensvand 
Claudia,  are  taken  from  an  ingenious  essay  on  the  subject, 
entitled  "  Claudia  and  Pudens."  ^ 

"  There  are  two  epigrams  of  Martial,  (iv.  13,  and  xi.  54,) 
the  former  of  which  describes  the  marriage  of  a  distinguished 
Roman  named  Pudens  to  a  foreign  lady  (peregrina)  named 
Claudia  ;  and  the  latter  of  which  tells  us  that  this  Claudia 
was  a  Briton,  and  gives  her  the  cognomen  of  Rufina, 
When  the  latter  epigram  was  written,  she  had  grown  up 
sons  and  daughters,  but  herself  still  retained  the  charms  of 
youth.  Both  these  epigrams  were  written  during  Martial's 
residence  at  Rome ;  and  therefore  their  date  must  be  be- 
tween A.  D.  66  and  a.  d.  100.  (See  Clinton's  Fasti.)  The 
former  of  the  two  epigrams  was  not  published  till  the  reign 
of  Domitian ;  but  it  may  very  probably  have  been  written 
many  years  earlier.  Thus  the  Claudia  and  Pudens  of  Mai*- 
tial  mai/  be  the  same  with  the  Claudia  and  Pudens  who  are 
here  seen  as  friends  of  St.  Paul  in  A.  d.  68. 

But  further;  Tacitus  mentions  (Agi'ic.  14)  that  certain 
territories  in  the  south-east  of  Britain  were  given  to  a  Brit- 
ish king,  Cogidunus,  as  a  reward  for  his  fidelity  to  Rome. 
This  occuri'ed  about  A.  D.  52,  while  Tiberius  Claudius  Nero^ 
commonly  called  Claudius,  was  emperor. 

Again,  in  1723,  a  marble  was  dug  up  at  Chichester, 
with  the  following  inscription,  in  which  the  brackets  indicate 
the  part  lost  by  the  portion  of  the  stone  broken  off:  — 

[n]EPTTJNO   ET   MINERVA 

TEMPLUM 

[pr]0    SALUTE   DOMUS  DIVINE 

AUCTOKITATE   TIB.    CLAUD. 

[COJGIDUBNI    REGIS    LEGATI   AUGUSTI   IN.   BRIT. 

[COLLEJOIUM   FABRORUM   ET    QUI    IN   EO 

[a   SACRIS    sunt]    DE    8UO   KEDICAVERUNT   DONANTB  AREAM 

[pud]ente  PUDENTINI  FILIO. 

1  By  J.  Williams,  M.  A.    London,  1848. 


APPENDIX.  291 

Now,  the  Tiberius  Claudius  Gogiduhius  here  mentioned 
as  British  king  of  Chichester,  is  proved  by  Mr.  Williams  to 
be  undoubtedly  the  same  mentioned  by  Tacitus  ;  and  we  see 
that  Ccgidunus  had,  according  to  the  practice  in  such  cases, 
adopted  the  nomen  and  prcenomen  of  his  patron,  the  empei'or 
Claudius.  Hence,  this  king's  daughter  must,  according  to 
Roman  usage,  (see  Smith's  Dictionary  of  Antiquities,  p. 
640,)  have  been  called  Claudia.  It  is  also  in  exact  accord- 
ance with  that  which  was  the  common  practice  in  such  cases, 
that  a  daughter  of  king  Cogidunus  should  have  been  sent 
to  Rome  (as  a  pledge  of  his  fidelity)  to  be  there  educated. 
If  this  was  done,  the  young  Claudia  would  no  doubt  be 
placed  under  the  protection  of  Pomponia,  the  wife  of  Aulus 
Plautius,  the  conqueror  of  Britain;  for  this  Plautius  had 
been  the  imperial  legate  in  Britain,  A.  d.  43-52,  and  had 
been  aided  by  the  fidelity  of  Cogidunus.  Now  this  Pom- 
ponia, (as  we  learn  from  Tacitus,  Annal  xiii.  32,)  was  ac- 
cused in  A.  D.  57,  of  being  tainted  with  "  a  foreign  super- 
stition^''—  which  may  not  improbably  have  been  Christianity. 
And  if  so,  she  may  have  converted  her  supposed  protegee 
Claudia. 

Another  connecting  link  between  Claudia  and  Pomponia 
may  perhaps  be  found  in  the  cognomen  Rujina,  attached  to 
Claudia  by  Martial.  For  a  distinguished  branch  of  the 
Pomponian  gens,  at  this  period,  bore  the  cognomen  Rufus  ; 
and  if  our  Pomponia  was  of  this  Rufine  branch,  it  would  be 
ggreeable  to  Roman  usage  that  her  protegee  Claudia  should 
be  called  Rujina.  And  this  probability  is  increased  when 
we  find  a  Rufus  (in  Martial's  Epigram)  taking  an  interest 
in  the  marriage  of  Claudia.  AVe  know  also  that  a  Jewish 
Christian  at  Rome  bore  the  name  of  Rufus,  (see  Rom.  16  : 
13  and  note)  ;  and  it  may  be  conjectured  that  this  Rufus 
had  assumed  his  Roman  name,  (as  we  know  was  commonly 
done  by  the  Jews,)  from  his  being  under  the  protection  of 
one  of  this  powerful  house  of  Pomponius  Rufus,  some  of 


292  THE   CATHOLIC. 

whom  would  thus  again  be  connected  with  Roman  Chris- 
tianity. 

.  Lastly,  in  the  above  inscription  we  find  the  name  of 
Pudens,  son  of  Pudentinus,  united  with  that  of  Cogidunus  ; 
which  would  exactly  correspond  with  the  hypothesis,  that 
the  former  was  a  son-in-law  of  the  latter.   ' 

We  may  add  that,  according  to  the  tradition  of  the  me- 
diaeval church,  (which  could  hardly  be  acquainted  with 
these  epigrams  of  Martial,)  a  certain  Timothetis,  son  of  a 
Roman  senator  named  Pudens,  took  part  in  the  conversion 
of  the  Britons  to  Christianity." 

I  have  thu-3  accumulated  the  proofs  that  St.  Paul  preached 
the  Gospel  in  the  west  of  Europe,  and  planted  the  first 
churclies  in  Britain. 

The  evidence  may  not  be  conclusive,  but  it  seems  to  me  to 
be  altogetlier  stronger  than  the  proof  that  St.  Peter  ren- 
dered any  effectual  aid  in  planting  the  first  church  and  the 
episcopate  in  Imperial  Rome,  and  I  can  find  no  satisfactory 
proof,  or  even  presumptions  of  any  visit  by  St.  Peter  to 
Britain. 

Siiould  my  reasoning  on  this  point  be  questioned,  I  can 
only  add,  that  while  it  repels  the  pretence  that  the  popes  of 
Rome  first  planted  Christianity  in  Britain,  and  confirms  the 
historical  proof  that  a  British  church  was  planted  in 
Britain  before  A.  d.  61,  and  continued  there  with  its  own 
Inshops  independent  of  Rome,  until  the  invasion  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons  in  the  eighth  century,  it  is  by  no  means 
essential  to  the  case  I  have  made  against  the  usurpations 
and  errors  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  Let  me  hope  that  my 
other  arguments  will  suffice  to  prove,  that  an  American 
citizcMi  may  be  a  good  Christian  and  a  Catholic,  without 
subjecting  liimself  to  the  Romish  Hierarchy.^ 

1  Tlic  reader  wlio  may  desire  to  examine  the  proof  tliat  the  church 
ill  IJritain  was  founded  before  the  church  in  Rome,  and  prcscrv'cd 
iiu   inde])endti!t  existence  under  its  own  bishops  for  nearly  ten  cen- 


APPENDIX.  293 

turies,  will  read  with  much  interest  a  modem  work  by  Trelawney, 
entitled,  ""Perran  Zabulce,"  or  the  lost  church  found.  In  this  he 
gives  the  history  of  a  British  church,  buried  in  the  sands  of  Corn- 
wall, and  disinterred  after  the  lapse  of  many  centuries,  and  gives  a 
vivid  picture  of  the  gradual  immersion  of  the  British  church  in  the 
quicksand  of  Roman  Catholicism  after  the  Norman  invasion,  and  its 
subsequent  recovery.  Perran  Zabulce  has  been  republished  in  New 
York,  from  the  fifth  London  edition. 


END. 


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